The Swiss Federal Railways discovered the city as its namesake and named a locomotive “Offenbach”. Mayor Felix Schwenke is full of praise.
Offenbach – Lufthansa has been flying jets named Offenbach, since 1998 an Airbus A 340-313X. Now the Swiss Federal Railways have also discovered the city as their namesake: the modern one “Offenbach am Main” shunting locomotive not only moves wagons at the local marshalling yard.
Your catwalk is decorated with neither red carpets nor fine tulle, but gray steel and coarse gravel. But hardly on tour, she will Lokomotive „Offenbach am Main“ from SBB Cargo International, a subsidiary of the Swiss Federal Railways, to a coveted photo model. Even in Frankfurt. “Half an hour ago I stopped in front of a signal at the Südbahnhof,” says train driver Nathanael Oestreich with a wink, “and passengers waiting on the platform across the street were pulling out their smartphones.”
The “Offenbach am Main” locomotive weighs almost 70 tons
Now the 12.8 meter long machine is parked at home in the freight yard at the buffer stop. She has been in since mid-2020 Offenbach stationed. She was on the way because technicians from the manufacturer Alstrom had inspected her overnight in Waibstadt during a routine check.
Nathanael Oestreich heads the Karlsruhe / Freiburg location of SBB Cargo Germany (SBB CD). Usually. The 200 kilometer tour to Baden Württemberg is a welcome and necessary change for him. The learned one Train driver must prove annual practical hours for the extension of his driving license. Of course, his colleagues in Waibstadt also spoke to him about the place that adorns the side panels of the tractor with its name, palace, coat of arms and skyline. Even on the tracks of the Frankfurt port railway, it is striking Offenbach-Design always a topic of conversation among colleagues, reveals Oestreich.
The 67 tonne weight „Offenbach am Main“ is a triaxial Hybridlok with a total output of 555 kilowatts, that’s 755 hp. Your 100 kWh Li-Ion battery is charged overnight and during breaks. The high storage capacity enables largely emission-free operation in everyday life. The diesel is only switched on when necessary or when longer journeys are made.
Offenbach: Mayor Felix Schwenke is full of praise for the commitment
The Offenbach The decor on the side panels, along with the silhouette of Feldberg and some Frankfurt skyscrapers, cost more than 10,000 euros and “a lot of heart and soul from the employees”, according to the management. Mayor Felix Schwenke is full of praise for this commitment: “The locomotive is a beautiful commitment to Offenbach, which we were happy to accompany with the selection of motifs from the very first second. With its wonderful design, the machine is a good and visible ambassador for our location. “
The Swiss can, as the saying goes, watches. Thanks to their lean structures, experts also consider their railways to be precise and efficient. SBB Cargo Germany uses in Offenbach since December 2018 the former marshalling yard as the central hub for the international liner train service of ChemOil Logistics AG. The Chemie-Link connects European economic centers.
The headquarters of SBB Cargo Germany with a total of 350 employees is in Duisburg. Offenbach is one of four regional locations. From here, for example, Cologne, Karlsruhe, Ludwigshafen, Switzerland, Italy and France are served. In 2020, the company relocated and dispatched 11,716 freight wagons, weighing a total of 960,712 gross tons, between Laskabrücke and the New Cemetery. The trains going south bypass Offenbach city center via Hanau and thus avoid the overloaded network in Frankfurt.
According to the coordinator, Offenbach is an ideal location for Eastern European markets
Offenbach According to coordinator Dieter Neidel, thanks to its central location and existing infrastructure, it is also an ideal location for new markets towards Eastern Europe. If there is a corresponding demand, the company is ready to deliver wagons to customers on the “last kilometer”. “Goods belong from the road to the rail,” says Neidel.
SBB CD has rented 13 of the 15 existing tracks in the marshalling yard. In 2010, Deutsche Bahn AG closed freight handling in Offenbacheven though she had extensively refurbished rails and sleepers here five years earlier. At most, a few construction site vehicles wintered on the area from then on. The city of Offenbach is developing its western part into a residential and commercial area.
Steffen Volkmer, member of the SBB CD management team: “We feel very comfortable in Offenbach and are grateful to the city administration for the unbureaucratic support in the search for a suitable property ”.
SBB CD finds new branch in Offenbach
With the help of the economic development agency, Lord Mayor Dr. Felix Schwenke, the company has found 220 square meters of office space for its branch on the former Mercedes site. The regional activities are coordinated from there. “This is good for Offenbach“, So the mayor,” we want to locate companies and jobs from different and future-proof industries “.
18 employees, including twelve Train driver, are in Offenbach stationed. According to Markus Gersberg-Werner, member of the Railway and Transport Union (EVG), the Swiss were among the good guys in a highly competitive market. The company adheres to the high quality and safety standards and trains itself.
The company pays according to the tariff plus labor market allowance. The Train driver receive a Bahncard-100. With a 39-hour week, they can work nine days in a row and then take five days off. A model that is particularly valued by long-distance commuters, including those who work in Offenbach to have. (Matthias Müller)
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