Production
In 1996, Deutsche Bahn placed an order for 20 diesel multiple units with a consortium led by Siemens.
As for the ICE T, DWA (Bombardier) produced the end cars and Siemens produced the middle cars. The ICE TD was fitted with an electro-mechanic tilting actuator system developed by Siemens, rather than the Fiat (Alstom) Pendolino hydraulic system used in the ICE T. Also, the secondary suspension between bogie and carbody is air springs rather than metal coils for higher ride comfort. A characteristic element of the Siemens system visible on the outside is the crescent-shaped top of the outer carbody supports (above the bogie center).
The tilting system also left room for electric motors on both axes in a bogie, thus every car of the Diesel-electric train has an unpowered bogie and a powered bogie (2'Bo' configuration). The power for the electric motors of the class 605 is generated by four diesel engines, one on each car, with 560 kW power each. These engines are based on engines for trucks. Electrically, the two halves of the train form two independent power units of two cars each, with the theoretical possibility of the addition of a fifth car as middle trailer.
The first train was assembled in 1998, trials on track started in April 1999. During a test run on 13 January 2000, 222 km/h was achieved.
Shortly before the first IC T entered service in 1999, the names of the electric and diesel trains were changed to ICE T and ICE TD respectively, with "T" now standing for the English word tilt(ing), and "TD" for tilt(ing)-diesel.
Read more about this topic: ICE TD
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