Test Runs of 4 Billion NOK Trains Stopped After The Accident - The Nordic Page

16.02.2012 - Oslo

Test Runs of 4 Billion NOK Trains Stopped After The Accident

One severely injured during the test run of NSB's new trains in Vestfold. Transport Minister Magnhild Meltveit says Norway does need these trains for now.

Photo : Baikonur The total cost of the order was four billion, which is NSB's largest investment ever.

Yesterday during the test run between Nykirke and Holmestrand Vestfold at 11 am, an NSB train hit a rock and one of the wagons overturned. All five people on board were taken to hospital.

- This is just sad. What matters now is that all those affected by this disaster get all the help they need, and the Accident Investigation Board and the police have done their work, says Transport Minister to Dagbladet.

After the accident, NSB also decided to stop all test runs of the trains called FLIRT. NSB had decided to order 50 these FLIRT trains from Stadler Rail on 18 august 2008. The total cost of the order was four billion, which is NSB's largest investment ever.

About FLIRT

Stadler FLIRT (Fast Light Innovative Regional Train) is an electric multiple unit (EMU) produced by Stadler Rail AG. The articulated trainset comes in units of two to six cars with two to six motorized axles. The maximum speed is 200 km/h. Standard floor height is 57 cm, but 78 cm high floors are also available for platform heights of 76 cm.

The FLIRT train was originally developed for the Swiss Federal Railways and was first delivered in 2004. The trains quickly became a success and were ordered by operators in Algeria, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Italy and Norway, Poland and Switzerland. In November 2009 the order book stands at 547 sold units.