GERMAN Rail’s (DB) long distance passenger division has issued an EU-wide tender for a sale and lease back deal for the 21 Siemens Vectron Dual Mode class 248.5 bi-mode locomotives it ordered in September 2022.
Leasing companies and Siemens are eligible to bid but competitors of Siemens are excluded. The closing date for bids is September 23.
DB plans to resell the locomotives in six tranches beginning in December 2025 and ending in November 2026. DB says it will not operate the locomotives commercially between purchase and subsequent sale. DB Long Distance then intends to lease the locomotives on a wet lease basis including full service and the provision of crew for eight years until November 30 2034.
DB Long Distance ordered the 160km/h Vectron Dual Mode electro-diesel locomotives to power push-pull ICE-L trains on non-electrified lines to destinations such as Westerland (Sylt) in northern Germany and Oberstdorf in Bavaria. The locomotives will also be used to rescue failed ICE trains on high-speed lines.
