German Rail (DB) is actively engaged in a project to use 3D printing to produce components for both infrastructure and rolling stock. Kevin Smith spoke with Stefanie Brickwede, who is leading the effort at DB, about progress so far.

Momentum appears to be building for the establishment of a tri-national S-Bahn centred on Basle, Switzerland. However, as Anitra Green reports, the project still needs to overcome several hurdles.

DB Regio subsidiary DB RegioNetz Verkehrs (Erzgebirgsbahn) has been awarded a three-and-half year direct-award contract by Central Saxony Transport Authority (ZVMS) to operate the Erzgebirge Diesel Network.

GERMANY's federal transport minister Mr Alexander Dobrindt, the CEO of German Rail (DB), Mr Rüdiger Grube, and the president of the German Railway Industry Association (VDI), Mr Volker Schenk, agreed a national digital railway strategy in Berlin in June 22.

DUTCH infrastructure manager Prorail confirmed at this week's TEN-T Days conference in Rotterdam that it is planning to trial automated operation of freight trains on the Betuweroute dedicated freight line, which links Rotterdam with the German border near Emmerich.

JUNE 2 marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of ICE high-speed rail services and German Rail (DB) celebrated this milestone in German rail history with a display of the four generations of ICE train at Berlin-Grunewald train depot.

FOLLOWING an investigation by the Bundeskartellamt, Germany's federal competition authority, German Rail (DB) has agreed to make what the Bundeskartellamt describes as "far-reaching changes to the sale of passenger tickets," with the aim of curbing discrimination against DB's competitors.

A CEREMONY was held on May 25 to mark the official start of construction of the 4270m Rastatt tunnel which forms part of a €11.6bn project to upgrade the 182km Karlsruhe - Basle main line for 250km/h operation.

THE supervisory board of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) has approved plans to significantly increase the number of overnight trains it operates and the railway has been negotiating with German Rail (DB) to take over some of its overnight services, which are due to be withdrawn in December.

GERMAN Rail's (DB) rail freight subsidiary, DB Cargo has confirmed plans to withdraw freight services from 215 locations in Germany reducing the total number of locations it serves to around 1300.