Bombardier has described a legal challenge by Deutsche Bahn (DB) over alleged problems with its 481 series trains as “without merit”.
DB is seeking damages totalling 350 million euros after the operator had to replace wheels and axles on Berlin’s S-Bahn trains.
Bombardier Transportation has today publicly denounced the claims, describing the allegations as “defamatory”.
In a statement Bombardier said: “General warranty for the S-Bahn Berlin 481 series ended in 2007 by mutual agreement. Up to that time, availability had regularly exceeded 98 per cent – a strong performance compared to similar rail systems in Europe.
“From the start, S-Bahn Berlin has been responsible for its own maintenance. Bombardier Transportation has no contractual obligations regarding the maintenance and repair of the 481 series.”
