As the manufacturer Siemens Mobility refused to name it, and even to explain what it is used for, it was named Jennifer. Jennifer the mystery piece which caused a giant breakdown on line B of the Rennes metro, forced to stop for “at least three months. » Tuesday, during a conference bringing together Rennes Métropole, Keolis and Siemens, we still learned that the incriminated part was integrated into “a mechanical block” and that the entire block, fixed on each of the four “bogies » that an oar counts, was going to have to be changed. A total of one hundred parts to repair on the 25 trains of line B of the metro.
So much for the explanations from Siemens who did not want to talk about this part. “I’m not sure that people are interested,” said Stéphane Bayon de Noyer, head of Siemens Mobility. A decree from the Ille-et-Vilaine prefecture published Friday and spotted by The Telegram However, it sheds new light on the breakdown of January 3 which plunged tens of thousands of travelers into trouble. The incident could thus be linked to a simple nut according to a report from the operator which indicates “that it is not planned to operate line B as long as an explanation and a solution make it possible to guarantee the non- loosening the oars pivot nut. »
A “disguising of the train” during the first breakdown in November
Cited in the same decree, the Technical Service for Ski Lifts and Guided Transport (STRMTG), which depends on the Ministry of Transport, also underlines that “the event of January 3, 2024 requires investigations and potential redesign of rolling stock opposite the fixings of the axle guide pivots. »
As for the first breakdown on November 18, which caused more than a month of service interruption, the prefectural decree mentions “a deguidance of the Neoval train n°56” without giving further explanations on the reasons which occurred. led to this incident and the ensuing fire in an electrical room in the workshop garage. We therefore do not know if the two failures are linked. Only lengthy investigations will allow us to see more clearly into this mess.