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WEATHER

Heat wave causes AC meltdown on 50 trains

Air conditioning failures on German trains have been more widespread than first thought, with at least 50 cooling systems breaking down under the brutal heat in the past week, the head of the parliamentary transport committee revealed Friday.

Heat wave causes AC meltdown on 50 trains
Photo: DPA

Greens MP Winfried Hermann, who is also chairman of the Bundestag’s transport committee, told the Passauer Neue Presse that rail operator Deutsche Bahn urgently needed to overhaul its trains. New trains should be fitted with more powerful air conditioners and the old rolling stock modernised, he said.

“One consequence has to be that new trains are designed for higher temperatures,” he said. “The air conditioners must be able to cope with outside temperatures of up to 45 degrees. You also have to expect greater extremes of cold.”

The revelation follows widespread condemnation of Deutsche Bahn over an incident last weekend in which the air conditioning system broke down on a high-speed ICE train, sending temperatures soaring to as much as 50 degrees Celsius. Federal police are investigating the incident, which put nine people in hospital, to see whether train staff acted negligently.

Deutsche Bahn boss Rüdiger Grube said he could not rule out further AC breakdowns in the coming days when temperatures are expected frequently to reach well above 30 degrees Celsius. On Thursday it was revealed that the air conditioning systems are only built to cope with temperatures of up to 32 degrees.

“We are making every effort that such things don’t happen,” he told broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, but added that he couldn’t make promises in “such extreme weather conditions.”

Grube added that an overhaul of the trains’ cooling systems was being examined. The older ICE models would be equipped with new cooling units that could cope with higher temperatures.

The general overhaul of the ICE II models would begin in the second half of the year, he said.

Replacing the air conditioner units had not previously been considered because there had not been conspicuous problems, he said – though this was naturally now being reviewed.

“We are analysing whether it wouldn’t be better to also rework the corresponding air conditioners,” he said.

Grube hit back at accusations the rail operator had cut back on maintenance and servicing in preparation for going public on the share market. Purchases of materials for long-distance trains had risen from €298 million to €405 million from 2004 to 2009, while maintenance staffing costs had been lifted from €84 million to €96 million over the same period, he said.

“Of course there is no excuse here,” Grube said, adding that the failures were “not acceptable.”

Nevertheless, the operator was following international standards in the way it had equipped its trains, he said.

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WEATHER

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

The moment many people around Germany have been waiting for is almost here: as of Thursday, temperatures are expected to crack the 20C mark and stay warm through the start of spring.

Spring to arrive in Germany with temperatures of up to 21C

Whether it’s the pink cherry blossom trees which have started to bloom, lighter evenings or people walking around with ice cream cones, the signs of springs have already started to show around Germany in March.

Now the weather is also catching up: following rain storms on Wednesday, the mercury is expected to reach at least 20C in many parts of the Bundesrepublik on Thursday. 

READ ALSO: Seven signs that Spring has arrived in Germany

First there’s some damper news: On Wednesday, Germany – in particular the southwest – is expected to be hit by the storms. In the Black Forest, 30 to 40 litres per square metre will fall by midday, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

In the Alps, light snowfall will set in above 1,000 to 1,200 metres, with fresh snowfall of around five centimetres expected. 

The rain will ease by the following morning, but it will remain cloudy.

Up to 21C on Thursday

On Thursday, after the morning the fog disappears, people can look forward to a sunny and dry day – especially in the south and western parts of Germany. 

Temperatures will rise to a pleasant 14 to 21C degrees, with the highest values on the Upper Rhine. 

In mountainous areas and by the sea, it will remain somewhat cooler at 10C to 14C. 

Friday will be characterised by changeable weather: there will be sunny spells as well as rain showers, which will spread from the west and may be heavy in places – including thunderstorms. 

Temperatures will be between 14C and 18C degrees, and in the Lausitz region in eastern Germany it could even reach a warm 20 degrees.

Warmer weeks

While this Sunday could still see some single digit temperatures in northern parts of Germany – such as 9C in Berlin and Hamburg – the coming week is set to experience continually warmer weather, remaining at 14C and higher. 

The first day of spring officially begins this year with the Spring Equinox on March 19th. The days will become even lighter in Germany after Daylight Savings Time, which this year takes place in the early hours of Easter Sunday, or March 31st.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in March 2024

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