Hospital train proposed for military evacuations and civilian disaster response

GERMANY: Siemens Mobility and Lufthansa Technik Defense have agreed to develop jointly a train for cross-border military medical evacuations and civilian disaster response.

Ahead of the Berlin Security Conference on November 3-4 the companies signed a memorandum of understanding to combine their decades of experience in rail vehicle manufacturing and aeromedical transport to develop the train for the German armed forces and NATO allies.

The train would be equipped with technology from the aviation sector for the transport and care of injured or ill patients, including those requiring intensive care. Lufthansa Technik’s proven systems are used by the German air force and other armed forces, offering the ability to convert an Airbus A400M transport aircraft into a ‘flying intensive care unit’.

The train plan would see these standardised modules, which range from basic stretchers (litter racks) to fully equipped patient transport units with intensive care beds, installed in Siemens Mobility Vectouro coaches. The trains would be hauled by a Vectron X locomotive, or a Vectron X Dual Mode electro-diesel able to operate without overhead power. Each trainset would offer space for more than 150 patients and 90 medical and support personnel.

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