Siemens Mobility is investing around 150 million EUR in expanding its digital service depot for trains in Dortmund, Germany.
Thanks to this investment, the depot in Dortmund-Eving will be expanded to 87,550 m² to meet the growing demand for rail services.
Plans include constructing an additional 12,300 m² service hall with storage, offices, and workshops. This site will be able to handle the maintenance of trains up to 400 metres long.
Construction of the new building is scheduled to begin in 2024 and will be completed by 2026.
The Siemens Mobility depot in Dortmund previously had a total area of 70,000 m². Once the projcet is completed, it will cover 157,550 m².
“Our customers need the best service to put more trains on the rail and ensure their maximum availability. Our digital service depot in Dortmund is one of the most modern rail service centres in Europe. To maximise efficiency, innovative Siemens technologies such as AI-based maintenance with Railigent X, 3D printing, and highly automated services are used at the facility.
“By investing in additional depot capacity, we are responding to the growing demand for services. The depot expansion will not only enable us to serve more vehicle and train types and customers in the future but also create highly qualified jobs in the region and further strengthen our service network in Europe.”
Siemens Mobility’s digital depot in Dortmund has been in service since 2018. Once the new facility opens, it will have up to 250 employees.
Currently, the site primarily maintains trains from the RRX fleet operating throughout the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region. With greater capacity, the company will look to expand its services to additional fleets.
All maintenance processes at the Dortmund depot can be controlled digitally to optimise operations and help achieve 100 percent system availability.
This involves employees receiving work orders and all maintenance and repair information directly on their tablets.
To enable this approach, Siemens’ Railigent X digital platform receives continuous sensor data from trains, which it automatically processes.
A high-speed train could generate up to 30 GB of data each month. The Railigent X application suite then uses AI algorithms to process this data, forecast faults and offer proactive maintenance suggestions.
The depot is also equipped with cutting-edge inspection and maintenance equipment. This includes an outdoor cleaning facility, an underfloor lathe, a wheelset diagnostic system, and a high-speed 3D printer for rapid on-site production of plastic replacement parts.
What’s more, the centre features an advanced Automated Vehicle Inspection system (AVI), which uses laser technology to assess wheels, axles, and tread profiles. This data is then seamlessly integrated into Railigent X.
In the future, the company plans to transition from manual to fully automated visual inspections to further enhance maintenance productivity. This approach would leverage technologies including computer vision, artificial intelligence, and digital twins.
