It's the most asked about model currently in development, and after 4 years, we're certainly not surprised!
And while it doesn't always look like it from the outside, significant progress has been made in recent months on our most ambitious project to date; the Irish Rail Rotem Class 22000 Intercity Railcar (ICR) project.
With the successful delivery of both our NIR Hunslet locomotive and CIE Park Royal coach projects now complete, the Class 22000 Intercity Railcars will shortly take their place at the front of the assembly line as the next major project in production.
As many of you will appreciate, the ICRs are among the most technically ambitious models we have ever undertaken. A key element of the project has been the development of an advanced electronic system developed by ESU, that allows a complete railcar set to operate from a single digital decoder, delivering seamless operation, lighting and sound functionality across the whole unit. Following an extensive period of testing, refinement and validation, we are delighted to confirm that this complex circuitry has now been fully signed off.
To achieve the required functionality, additional retooling work was necessary on both the coupling system and internal body components. These modifications were required to accommodate the wiring harnesses running throughout the train, along with the electrical connections between vehicles that enable the entire set to function as one integrated unit. We can now confirm that this work has been completed successfully.
The next milestone is the review of final decoration samples, which are currently being produced by the factory. These samples are expected to arrive with us in August for detailed inspection and approval. As always, we will be checking every aspect of the models carefully to ensure they meet the standards we demand before production commences.
Once the decoration samples have been approved, the project will move directly into full production. We are currently targeting completion of production by the end of this year, after which the models will be prepared for shipment and delivery.
We would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and support throughout the development of this landmark project. The Class 22000 Intercity Railcars represent a significant technical achievement, and we are looking forward to sharing further updates as the models progress through their final stages toward production, starting with a look at the fully decorated samples in late August.
