At the event held on 11th January at the Bahnbetriebswerk, Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck, the Ruhr Regional Association handed over the keys to CAF, the new owner of the land. During this press conference, the tender of the Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck railway workshop was also presented by Karola Geiß-Netthöfel, RVR Regional Director, along with the project construction plan by Marcus Brüning, Director of CAF Deutschland GmbH, and the NMN project and its significance for the region by Gabriele Matz, VRR board spokeswoman.
"With this sale, we reactivate an old industrial area by settling a new, future-oriented company. When doing so, we are not only strengthening the business location, but we are also helping to reduce the need to intervene in the open space. In addition, the new regional units will contribute remarkably to the mobility revolution on the way to the climate-neutral Ruhr Metropolis," said Karola Geiß-Netthöfel, RVR Regional Director.
Karin Welge, the Mayor of Gelsenkirchen, also highlighted the importance of the project and the benefits and positive impact it will have for the city. “The settlement of CAF is good news for Gelsenkirchen. The Bismarck depot now has a future that builds on its tradition from the 1920s and continues with the times. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to filling this historic location with new life," said Karin Welge.
Last October, CAF acquired this space to build a digital workshop, to maintain regional battery trains that will replace old diesel vehicles for local transport in the region. The German transport authorities VRR (Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr) and NWL selected CAF to supply 76 battery-powered trains and provide fleet maintenance services from 2025 to 2058.
"In order to improve the climate balance of local public transport and further advance the mobility transformation, the Rhine-Ruhr transport association is committed to innovative initiatives. This is an important step towards having 90% of SPNV-operated services in the network electric by 2030, and reducing CO2 emissions, fine dust, and noise. This makes the Niederrhein-Münsterland network the first regional rail network in NRW with alternative drives and the largest BEMU network in all of Germany,” explained Gabriele Matz.
The BBW Bismarck workshop was in operation from 1926 to 1981 and is today the largest preserved railway depot for steam locomotives in the Ruhr area. CAF expects a large-scale digital project that will reactivate this disused area, developing the location and contributing significantly to the region.
Marcus Brüning, CAF Deutschland GmbH director, emphasized that the good location and available railway connections make the place attractive and strategic for the project. "With this old railway depot, we have found an ideal place in terms of location, size, and accessibility to build a digital workshop of the future in NRW. We will also create more than thirty long-term jobs in Gelsenkirchen. In addition, this extensive property offers future opportunities to expand the workshop and has great potential for further business development in NRW."
The CAF Group demonstrates its firm commitment to the transition toward sustainable and digital transport, developing a wide range of solutions for operators with the aim of guaranteeing fleet safety and availability.