Stadler Rail argues with a German rail operator

Stadler Rail and German railway company Go-Ahead Bayern got into an argument over train maintenance provided by Stadler. The dispute threatens to escalate.

Thurgau’s rail manufacturer Stadler Rail is in public in discussions with Go-Ahead Bayern Rail about the train maintenance that Stadler provides. While eastern Switzerland insists on compliance with contracts and wants to do the maintenance themselves, Go-Ahead Bayern wants maintenance to be done by TMH International.

“The current contract prohibits subcontracting maintenance services to one of Stadler’s competitors,” wrote Thurgau train maker Thursday evening in response to a letter from Go-Ahead Bayern.

TMH International is active in the development, production, and maintenance of rail vehicles and is therefore a competitor to Stadler: “This means that Go-Ahead Bayern does not fulfill contractual terms.”

Rail car maintenance by outside companies is commonplace in Germany – as long as they are pure maintenance companies and not simultaneously active in developing and manufacturing trains, Stadler writes. The company fully fulfilled the delivery contract with Go-Ahead Bayern. Stadler carried out production of 22 trains according to the contract and approved the vehicles ahead of schedule. They are ready to run sooner than agreed.

In talks with Stadler, Go-Ahead Bayern has not been able to bridge fundamental disagreements, writes rail operator Allgäu, who wants to start in December. “We deeply regret that it was not possible to reach an agreement with the Stadler representatives,” said Patrick Foyer, Managing Director of Go-Ahead Enterprises in Germany.