‘Rail Partnership Model’ signed with participating companies – planning and construction with fixed, shared objectives
(Cottbus, 11 March 2022) Deutsche Bahn (DB) is using a completely new contractual model for the first time in a major project. The new ICE maintenance depot in Cottbus is being built by 2026 under the innovative ‘Rail Partnership Model’. The aim is to ensure that a jointly agreed timeframe and budget are adhered to by having all parties involved work much more closely together and be involved at a much earlier stage than is usual. The relevant contracts have now been signed in the presence of Brandenburg’s Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Steinbach, DB’s Group Representative for Brandenburg, Alexander Kaczmarek, and the companies involved. The signing took place, fittingly, in a new co-working space at the existing Cottbus plant, which is shared by all the contracting parties. This modern office is the first visible sign of a new culture of project management.
The new contract model serves as a blueprint for the successful delivery of major projects. It provides for planning and construction firms to be involved in the project at a very early stage. They are to plan and agree on the individual construction phases and costs jointly. The contract model was developed by DB in collaboration with the construction industry and engineering associations. International experience, particularly from Scandinavia, was incorporated into the process.
A new DB AG maintenance depot for ICE trains is being built in Cottbus. The investment for this amounts to around one billion euros. Around 1,200 new industrial jobs will be created. The first trains are due to be serviced here from as early as 2024. The required EU-wide tendering process for five different contract packages was completed in November 2021. The contracting parties are the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, Arcadis Germany GmbH, LOGSOL GmbH and Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG. The Technical University of Berlin is providing scientific support for the drafting and execution of the contracts.
Prof. Dr Jörg Steinbach, Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg:
“The DB plant in Cottbus is of great significance for structural change in Lusatia. It is a flagship project that will create 1,200 additional industrial jobs. At the same time, it is yet another example of how quickly planning permission procedures can be processed in the State of Brandenburg. Planning began in early 2021, and operations are set to start as early as 2024 – two years earlier than originally planned. The Federal Railway Authority, as the licensing body, has played a key role in this by approving the project very swiftly. The alliance model will also contribute to this, as it provides a solid foundation for the successful implementation of an innovative planning process. It is important that the local economy is now appropriately involved in the realisation of the project.”
Alexander Kaczmarek, Deutsche Bahn’s Group Representative for Brandenburg:
“The New Cottbus Works is the first Deutsche Bahn construction project to utilise a multi-party contract for integrated project management, following the TU Berlin’s ‘Rail Partnership’ model. The construction companies are involved right from the planning phase so that they can begin the planning and subsequent construction phases together. The aim is to stay within the timeframe and budget, to work cooperatively and to ensure the project’s success. This is a fantastic contribution to ‘Starke Schiene’ and a genuine transport revolution in Germany.”
Konrad Schnyder, President and Owner of the Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group:
“The ‘Rail Partnership Model’ approach is well suited to our expertise as a full-service provider for all track-related services. We can therefore fully endorse this holistic approach. This allows synergies to be utilised to the full, whilst sources of error and inefficiencies are reduced to a minimum.”
Martin Ritterbach, Managing Director of Arcadis Germany GmbH:
“We are absolutely delighted to be one of the key partners in a flagship project of this scale and to be able to contribute our expertise to the alliance in a valuable way. Using digital planning and management tools, we will work in partnership to implement innovative and sustainable solutions.”
Dipl.-Ing. Uwe Wenzel, Managing Director of LOGSOL GmbH:
“We are extremely proud to be able to support this project concept through our expertise. With a positive outlook, highly motivated specialists and over 20 years’ logistics expertise, we look forward to the successful implementation of this exciting large-scale project within the rail partnership model.”
Thomas Paetzold, member of the Executive Board of Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG:
“As the main contractor, we are looking forward to working with all parties involved in the ‘Rail Partnership’ model. With its collaborative and transparent approach, this innovative pilot project is setting new standards in the planning and execution of complex construction projects.”
The New Cottbus Depot: DB Fahrzeuginstandhaltung’s Cottbus depot has been in operation for almost 150 years and currently employs 420 people. From 2022, the site will be expanded and brought up to the latest technical standards. Following the expansion of the site, a further 1,200 jobs will be created and 100 apprenticeship places will provide young people from the region with career prospects. Two halls will be built on the site of the existing maintenance depot: by 2026, a large four-track hall (500 metres long, 260 metres wide) for heavy ICE maintenance; and by 2024, a smaller two-track hall (435 metres long, 25 metres wide). This is where the trains of the rapidly expanding ICE fleet will be serviced and repaired.
Construction work is set to begin as early as 2022. The so-called preparatory works have been underway since 2021 and have cleared the site for the first hall. Archaeological finds have been secured, the sites have been surveyed for unexploded ordnance, contaminated sites have been demolished and cleared, and lizards have been relocated. Planning and constructing the depot within such a short timeframe presents an enormous challenge. Further information on the new Cottbus depot and the construction work can be found at www.db-neues-werk-cottbus.com
“Contract signing ceremony on 3 March 2022. From left: Prof. Dr Jörg Steinbach (Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg) , Dr Anja Sternberg (Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG), Thomas Herr (Project Manager), Uwe Wenzel (LOGSOL GmbH), Stefan Korb (City of Cottbus), Thomas Paetzold (Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG), Martin Ritterbach (Arcadis Germany GmbH), Konrad Schnyder (Rhomberg Sersa Rail Holding GmbH), Prof. Dr Matthias Sundermeier (TU Berlin)”
Source: Frank Kniestedt (DB AG)