CAF begins construction of new train depotJuly 11, 2025CAF has officially commenced the construction and modernisation of the historic rail depot in Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck with a cornerstone-laying ceremony. The new facility will serve as the future maintenance hub for the battery-electric trains set to operate on the Niederrhein-Münsterland network.Following the successful completion of the complex planning approval process in February 2025, CAF secured the construction permit from the Münster District Government. This milestone enabled preparatory works to begin ahead of the main construction phase.The symbolic ceremony, held on 9 July, was attended by Ronald R.F. Lünser, Managing Director of CAF Germany; Karin Welge, Mayor of Gelsenkirchen; Oliver Wittke, President of the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR); and Ibon García, Director of rail Services at CAF. The event marked the formal start of revitalising and upgrading the Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck depot, in the presence of around 100 guests from politics, business, public administration, and the transport sector.The redevelopment project includes the installation of approximately 14 new switches and 3,500 metres of new track. Plans also provide for a set of electrified tracks for vehicle delivery, as well as dedicated areas for train parking and fast battery charging. Two access lines connecting the site to DB infrastructureon both the eastern and western sidesare also part of the layout.Spread across a 90,000-square-metre site, the facility will feature a three-track maintenance hall and multiple technical buildings, including a train exterior cleaning system and a wheelset processing unit. The buildings, covering roughly 6,500 square metres in total, will be supported by additional technical infrastructure. Through this project, CAF aims not only to restore a disused industrial site but also to contribute to the economic and urban regeneration of the area, combining sustainability, digitalisation, and operational efficiency.The depot is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Once operational, it will support long-term maintenance for the new fleet serving the Lower RhineMünsterland network. The new battery-electric multiple units (BEMU) are scheduled to enter service from 2027, gradually replacing the existing diesel-powered trains.CAFis supplying 76 battery-electric trains to the regional transport authorities Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) and Nahverkehrsverbund Westfalen-Lippe (NWL), who have prioritised the transition from diesel to zero-emission operations as part of their broader strategy for sustainable public transport.The delivery and ongoing servicing of the new fleet are expected to play a key role in modernising the regional rail system and advancing the decarbonisation of public transport across North Rhine-Westphalia.Share on:RECOMMENDED EVENT: