IC4
| Company type | Train model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 2003 (service introduction) |
| Founder | AnsaldoBreda |
| Headquarters | Denmark, Italy |
Area served | Denmark |
Key people | Frank Olesen (DSB director) |
| Products | Inter-city diesel trains |
| Parent | Danske Statsbaner (DSB) |
Overview
The IC4 is an inter-city diesel train produced by the Italian manufacturer AnsaldoBreda specifically for the trans-Great Belt routes operated by Danske Statsbaner (DSB), Denmark's state railway company. As part of DSB’s initiative titled 'Good trains for everyone' ('Gode tog til alle'), the IC4 was designed to replace multiple older train models. Nonetheless, the project has faced numerous setbacks and delays, becoming a significant political controversy.
Development and Service Introduction
Initially, IC4 units were planned to commence service in DSB's Intercity network in 2003. The first IC4 trainset (number 4) began operating regional routes between Aarhus and Aalborg on 25 June 2007. Shortly after, on 27 August 2007, another test unit started regional passenger operations between Aarhus and Fredericia in eastern Jutland. During autumn 2007, two additional units entered regional service. By the end of that year, DSB and AnsaldoBreda aimed to finalize an agreement regarding the readiness of the IC4 for Intercity and express IntercityLyn services, contingent upon certification from the Danish National Rail Authority.
The IC4 completed its inaugural long-distance journey from Aalborg to Copenhagen on 7 August 2008. Official approval for regular operation with multiple coupled trainsets was granted on 9 November 2010. The final unit, number MG 5683, was delivered in September 2013, bringing the total production to 82 trains. As of 2015, IC4 trains are actively serving routes including Aarhus-Copenhagen, Aarhus-Aalborg, Aarhus-Esbjerg, Odense-Fredericia, and Copenhagen-Holbæk-Kalundborg.
Equipment and specifications
The train operates using four diesel engines with low emissions, each equipped with a common rail direct-injection system, collectively delivering a power output of 2,240 kW (3,004 bhp) (equivalent to 3045 metric hp). These engines are 20-litre (1,200-cubic-inch) V8 units manufactured by Iveco. The maximum permitted velocity for the train is 200 km/h (120 mph).[1] Each trainset comprises four articulated cars spanning a total length of 86 m (282 ft 2 in), accommodating 204 seats. Constructed from lightweight aluminium alloys, the weight of each trainset ranges between 140–160 tonnes (137.8–157.5 long tons; 154.3–176.4 short tons), with a fully equipped operational mass—including fuel and water—of approximately 170 tonnes (167.3 long tons; 187.4 short tons).
It is possible to couple up to four trainsets to form a longer train; however, challenges connected to this arrangement led to an initial decision to certify the IC4 only as a single trainset, postponing approval for multi-unit operation. Since one trainset alone is insufficiently long for optimal long-distance travel, early deployment primarily focused on regional routes. By December 2016, DSB discontinued attempts to operate trains formed by linking four sets.[2]
Design
The train’s design results from collaboration between DSB’s internal design team, which emphasizes Nordic minimalist aesthetics, and the Italian firm Pininfarina, renowned for its work with Ferrari, which contributed Italian elegance and smooth contours. The exterior features streamlined nose cones at each end of the trainset, reminiscent of high-speed trains common across Europe, marking a departure from the design of the IC3, where passengers can move freely between coupled units. Inside, the train incorporates natural materials aligned with Scandinavian design principles, an audio/video system displaying seat reservations, and a dedicated lounge space.
Controversy
The IC4 has been at the center of political debate in Denmark due primarily to prolonged delays in delivery by AnsaldoBreda. The Danish Minister of Traffic and Energy is regularly tasked with providing parliamentary updates on progress. Critics often attribute these setbacks to DSB’s decision to commission a highly customised train model. Additional criticism targets the substantial costs incurred for extending platforms at multiple stations along IC4 routes. In November 2006, it emerged that while the trains were functioning correctly, incomplete safety authority documentation was hindering their full deployment.[3] By late October 2007, four IC4 units had begun regional service in Jutland, but operations were halted by the end of February 2008 due to issues related to exhaust emissions.[4] Numerous malfunctions have occurred that did not entirely prevent use but were nonetheless problematic, including false alarms and various software-related complications.
Ultimatum
In June 2008, DSB issued a strict deadline to AnsaldoBreda, requiring that a minimum of 14 trains be approved and fully operational for regular service by May 2009. Failure to meet this condition would result in contract termination, reimbursement demands, and the return of the trains to the manufacturer. The original order, placed in 2000, comprised 83 IC4 trainsets with an initial delivery target set for 2003.
On 7 August 2008, train number 13 successfully completed a round trip carrying passengers between Aarhus H. and Copenhagen H. By 21 May 2009, it was confirmed that the ultimatum had been fulfilled with the delivery of 15 trains. However, one contractual stipulation—that at least one trainset be tested and certified for coupling with other units—remained unmet.
Current situation
Alongside confirming partial fulfillment of the ultimatum, DSB announced it had reached a settlement with AnsaldoBreda regarding the completion of the remaining trainsets. The deadline for final deliveries was extended to 2012. AnsaldoBreda agreed to cease further development; all subsequent units would match the existing test train, with DSB responsible for any final modifications. Compensation amounting to DKK 2 billion was to be paid by AnsaldoBreda, which combined with prior payments would result in reimbursing approximately half of the contract's original value. DSB retained the option to cancel the contract if more than seven trains were delivered over six months late.
DSB faces a shortage of trainsets coupled with reliability issues in its current fleet since the aging IC3 units require replacement. Procuring new IC3s was deemed costly and technically complex by DSB. In collaboration with Deutsche Bahn, DSB began operating German tilting ICE-TD diesel trains on routes to and from Germany. This measure somewhat alleviated capacity constraints despite high acquisition costs and expenses related to adapting these trains for Danish operations. Additionally, in October 2008, DSB placed an order for 45 new double-decker coaches from Bombardier, scheduled for delivery starting late 2009.
Starting August 2009, DSB operated 17 daily scheduled services using single IC4 sets; however, these were not coupled into multiple units, limiting their effectiveness during peak hours when longer trains are necessary. On 9 November 2010, after a seven-year delay, certification was finally granted for operating multiple connected IC4 trainsets, which were planned to enter service in January 2011. By late April 2011, DSB's director Frank Olesen indicated that further financial penalties against AnsaldoBreda were probable due to ongoing quality problems requiring upgrades to Danish standards at DSB's Randers facility. At that time, eighteen IC4 units had been approved for operation, nine of which were actively in daily service.
In November 2011, two IC4 trains failed to stop at signal points, prompting Trafikstyrelsen (the Danish Transportation Authority) to suspend all IC4 operations pending a thorough investigation.
On 2 July 2012, DSB announced that Trafikstyrelsen had authorized the reintroduction of the fleet of 37 IC4 units previously withdrawn in November 2011.
By 18 December 2012, an agreement was reached between AnsaldoBreda and DSB aimed at resolving outstanding issues concerning the IC4 trains.
The final unit—numbered MG 5683—was delivered in September 2013 as the 82nd trainset.
As of 2014, IC4 trains regularly operated on routes including Aarhus–Copenhagen, Aarhus–Aalborg, Aarhus–Esbjerg, and Copenhagen–Kalundborg. The two-car IC2 variant also served certain regional lines in Jutland such as Kolding–Vejle. Nonetheless, reliability concerns persisted following incidents like the failure of an IC4 unit within the Great Belt tunnel on 24 February 2014, which necessitated evacuating 191 passengers onto another trainset.
In September 2014, Denmark’s Department of Transport initiated an inquiry into whether scrapping or rebuilding the delivered trains for slower regional services would be more cost-effective. Scrapping posed a risk of pushing DSB toward bankruptcy.
On 15 December 2016, it was declared that despite past difficulties, the fleet would be retained but subject to enhancements aimed at improving reliability. Plans were made to phase out the IC4s once replacement electric multiple units became available from around 2024 onward. In 2017, Romanian manufacturer Astra Vagoane Călători acquired fifteen IC2 units from DSB for use by its transport subsidiary Astra Trans Carpatic.
Two units suffered damage on 2 January 2019 during the Great Belt Bridge rail accident, with at least one unit rendered beyond repair.
By mid-2019, quarterly reports from DSB indicated marked improvements in IC4 reliability: mean distance between failures (MDBF) reached approximately 7,643 kilometres (4,749 mi), surpassing the 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) target established in December 2016. However, this still fell short compared to the older IC3 fleet’s MDBF of about 28,900 kilometres (18,000 mi) during the same period. Operations Director Per Schrøder credited these gains to software upgrades in train management systems and increased technical familiarity among engineers. He also noted that removing particularly troublesome units—dubbed "Monday models" and "hangar queens"—contributed significantly to overall fleet reliability. The operational plan called for maintaining availability of around 42 units at any time, with up to 37 deployed regularly.
In July 2020, DSB listed eleven withdrawn "hangar queen" units for sale via an English broker, describing them as being in excellent working condition. Later clarification from Jürgen Müller, DSB’s Director of Strategy and Rolling Stock, confirmed that while the broker prepared the sales description independently, all eleven units had been continuously maintained post-withdrawal and were offered due to improved reliability across the main fleet rendering them surplus. Reliability data released in August 2020 showed the IC4 fleet achieving its highest-ever MDBF near 12,000 kilometres (7,500 mi), sufficient for Denmark’s National Audit Office (Rigsrevisionen) to affirm that commissioning was effectively complete.
On 2 June 2022, Danish news outlet Ingeniøren reported that DSB had agreed to sell its entire remaining fleet of seventy-four IC4 units—not just those previously offered—to an undisclosed foreign purchaser. The transaction is expected to begin with delivery of fourteen units initially; subsequent transfers will occur as DSB phases out these trains. The timeline depends on progress with replacing them by Alstom Coradia Stream electric multiple units expected to enter service starting mid-2025 as of May 2022.
Libyan trainset
In March 2013, along with previous media accounts, it was revealed that one of the missing IC4 trainsets intended for delivery in Denmark had been located in Libya. According to reports, AnsaldoBreda and then Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi gifted the trainset to Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2009, commemorating the 40th anniversary of Gaddafi's rise to power. The trainset can be identified on Google Maps satellite imagery at Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. and through geotagged photographs. A crew from DR conducted an on-site visit to the train in March 2013.
Gallery
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View from the cab (unit 5632)
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DSB emblem in dark blue with entry doors partly painted green (unit 5639)
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DSB logo alongside entry doors partially red (unit 5653)
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Vehicle register identification and a segment of a Jacobs bogie
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Overhead view of the HVAC system
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Compartment seating 32 passengers
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Bistro area
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Toilet compartment within low-floor coach
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Wheelchair-accessible space in low-floor coach
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Luggage compartments located at each end of the MG units
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See also
References
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