TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th January, 2020) German railway operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) has refused to buy 25 Bombardier IC2 double-deck trains due to ongoing technical issues with the trains, a DB spokesperson said in a statement to Sputnik.
"We are currently not accepting 25 series-two IC2 trains from the manufacturer due to technical defects. In anticipation of reliable proposals, we are counting on the manufacturer to remedy the defects quickly," the spokesperson said on Tuesday.
He also said the German railway giant is exploring legal options and its top priority remains customer satisfaction.
In a statement to Sputnik, Bombardier acknowledged that there are reliability issues with the trains in question and that it is working with DB on "an action plan to significantly improve the reliability of IC2 trains in the near future."
The development is just the latest in a string of setbacks for the Canadian manufacturing giant, after facing sharp criticism in the United States and Canada and downgrading expectations for the fourth quarter and year-end financial results.
This has led Canadian economists to question Bombardier's long-term future. Critics cite mismanagement by the controlling Bombardier-Beaudoin family and reputational damage stemming from operational problems as the main causes for the company's decline.
Last week, multiple outlets reported that Bombardier was in discussion with French and Japanese rivals Alstom SA and Hitachi about possible cooperation.
