Stadler Rail FLIRT (Germany)

Stadler offers a very successful family of electric multiple units under the name FLIRT, what stands for “Flinker, leichter Intercity- und Regional-Triebzug” (agile, light intercity and commuter multiple unit). They are lightweight units, using Jacobs bogies and having a good acceleration. Considerable parts of the equipment was taken over from the GTW and the first generation of the FLIRT also shared the design of its fronts with the GTW. By June 2023, more than 2,500 had been sold all around the world.

The FLIRT has been in use with German operators since 2006, when cantus received 14 three-car and six four-car FLIRT 2. They became the classes 427 and 428. As with the Swiss model, both axles of the two end bogies are powered with a total output of 2,600 kW. Further orders from DB Regio and many private railway companies followed. The FLIRT 3 has been built since 2013 and has new fronts in accordance with new crash standards.

In addition to the three- and four-car variants, the five-car class 429 and the six-car class 1430 were also created. In these, too, only the two end bogies are powered. On the other hand, the two-car class 426 is offered, in which only one bogie is powered. Initially only in Germany has the FLIRT 3 XL been used since 2019, in which the individual car bodies have been extended. The total length of the three-car trains increased by about nine meters and that of the five-car train by about 15 meters. The power was increased from 2,600 to 3,000 kW.