Apparently someone couldn’t hold back: In Stuttgart, the engine driver of an S-Bahn used the announcement to comment on the quality of the new trains. He wasn’t squeamish about his choice of words. A video of the incident went viral on TikTok and caused a lot of laughter.
Not much can be seen on the recordings, except for the compartment of an S-Bahn wagon. The voice of the train driver, who explains to the passengers that the train is no longer accelerating properly, can be heard over the loudspeaker. “That’s because we only drive around here with the very last bit of dirt,” he rumbles. And further: “Please note that the new vehicles that we received are just scrap. And we’re allowed to drive around with this shit here. Next stop: Schwabstraße, exit on the left.
Since the video was posted on TikTok on Sunday, the clip has been viewed more than 1.7 million times. In the comments, users show understanding:
As a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn told Stern when asked, it was not possible to say exactly when the video was recorded. However, it is a current case that will now be examined. “The engine driver’s announcements clearly exceed a limit,” said the spokeswoman. “We are currently working on the case internally and ask for your understanding that we are currently unable to comment on possible steps.”
According to the spokeswoman, the Alstom traction units newly ordered for the Stuttgart S-Bahn are prone to failure. According to this, the Stuttgart S-Bahn boss Dirk Rothenstein addressed the region’s transport committee last Wednesday that the new vehicles of the 430 series are prone to failure when they are commissioned in passenger service.
“Around a fifth of these railcars are currently in the workshop in Plochingen and cannot be used”. It is expected that the disruptions will be rectified as soon as possible. Among other things, a software update is required to rectify the faults. Alstom is working on making this available for the vehicles. “We once again expressly apologize to our passengers for the restrictions.”
Sources: TikTok, Deutsche Bahn
