Refitting and new procurement of quiet freight cars 0 Environment and 100% green electricity To the Strong Rail strategy
DB Cargo freight cars equipped with V brake shoes | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
New freight cars | 10,097 | 9,681 | 8,470 | |
Freight cars refitted with whisper brakes | 50,083 | 47,963 | 41,939 | |
Quiet freight cars | 60,180 | 57,644 | 50,409 |
Since the end of 2020, DB Cargo’s entire active freight car fleet in Germany has been running with quiet brake shoes. New freight cars with quiet composite break shoes will continue to be procured exclusively in future.
In 2017, German legislators passed a law banning the operation of loud freight cars (Rail Noise Protection Act), which has prohibited the operation of noisy freight cars in Germany since the timetable change in December 2020. It also requires all other operators – in addition to DB Cargo – to use quiet freight cars.