The board of directors for Denmark’s DSB has approved plans to procure 26 electric locomotives to replace its class ME diesel locomotives.
As well as replacing the ME locomotives, which are currently used to operate double-deck regional rail services in Sjælland, the new electric fleet will support the phasing out of DSB’s IC2 and IC4 diesel multiple units.
DSB chairman Peter Schütze said: “Based on our operating experience, we must conclude that IC4 not become the backbone of the Danish rail traffic, but will be part of the solution, until the electrification of rail is completed.”
Production of the new locomotives is expected to begin this autumn, with the first unit due to go into passenger service in 2020.
Correction: The IC2 and IC4 fleets are diesel multiple units (DMUs) not electric multiple units (EMUs) as originally stated.
The horrible Ansaldobreda IC2 and IC4 trains are diesel multiple units, not EMUs.