   #copyright

Danske Statsbaner

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Railway transport

   DSB
   Image:DSB logo.png
         Type       Government-owned corporation
       Founded      October 1, 1885
     Headquarters   Copenhagen, Denmark
      Key people    Søren Eriksen, President and CEO (acting)
       Industry     Rail transport
       Products     Passenger rail transport
       Revenue      DKK 10.5 billion ( 2005)
   Operating income DKK 1.3 billion (2005)
      Net income    DKK 745 million (2005)
      Employees     9,078 (2005 average)
       Website      www.dsb.dk

   DSB, an abbreviation of Danske Statsbaner (Danish State Railways), is
   the largest Danish train operating company. While DSB is responsible
   for passenger train operation on most of the Danish railways, goods
   transport and railway maintenance are outside its scope. DSB runs a
   commuter rail system, called S-train, in the area around the Danish
   capital, Copenhagen, that connects the different areas and suburbs in
   the greater metropolitan area.

   DSB was founded in 1885 when the government-owned companies De
   jysk-fynske Statsbaner and De sjællandske Statsbaner merged.

History

   On September 1, 1867, the Danish state took over Det danske
   Jernbane-Driftsselskab (The Danish Railway Operation Company), the
   major railway company in Jutland and Funen, and consequently, De
   jysk-fynske Statsbaner (The State Railways of Jutland and Funen) were
   formed.

   The Danish state took over Det sjællandske Jernbaneselskab (The Railway
   Company of Zealand) on January 1, 1880, forming De sjællandske
   Statsbaner (The State Railways of Zealand). With the majority of
   railways on both sides of the Great Belt thus owned by the Danish
   state, it was not until October 1, 1885 that the companies of
   Jutland/Funen and Zealand merged into one national railway company, De
   danske Statsbaner (The Danish State Railways), the merger being
   finalised on April 1, 1893.
   The Little Belt Bridge was opened in 1935.
   Enlarge
   The Little Belt Bridge was opened in 1935.

   Coinciding with the opening of the Little Belt Bridge in 1935, DSB
   introduced their new express train concept known as lyntog ('lightning
   trains'). These diesel-powered trains featured a then-impressive top
   speed of 120 km/h as well as a high level of comfort, and they proved
   themselves DSB's most commercially successful initiative of the 1930s.

   World War II left DSB with a fleet of outdated and worn-out trains, and
   although the use of motorised locomotives and DMUs was slowly starting
   to prevail during the 1920s and '30s, the diesel trains could not
   immediately satisfy the needs for pulling power. Thus, it was not until
   the mid- 1950s that diesel locomotives got a real foothold with DSB.

   DSB's class MY diesel locomotives, delivered from NOHAB starting in
   1954, proved themselves very reliable and economically feasible
   compared to the steam locomotives, eventually putting the age of steam
   to an end as well as being a decisive factor in DSB's choice of motive
   power for nearly three decades.
   Passenger train showing the red/black livery introduced in 1972.
   Enlarge
   Passenger train showing the red/black livery introduced in 1972.

   The 1960s were marked by an increasingly poor economy for DSB, leading
   to a steady staff reduction throughout the decade. However, this was
   also accompanied by the appearance of new technology, notably the
   utilisation of electronic equipment, improving the safety and
   efficiency of DSB's railway traffic. In 1972, along with the
   celebration of the 125th anniversary of railways in Denmark, DSB
   introduced a new, mainly red design (with engine rooms of locomotives
   painted black), replacing the traditional maroon livery with yellow
   winged wheel symbols. DSB's position was additionally strengthened by
   the oil crisis in 1973.
   The IC3 trains were introduced in 1990.
   Enlarge
   The IC3 trains were introduced in 1990.

   In 1990, after a delay of several years, the IC3 trains came into use,
   initially as lyntog, and in 1991 as ordinary intercity trains. The IC3
   trains, being a specimen of the Flexliner type of multiple units, have
   a distinct appearance due to the rubber-framed ends, allowing access
   between separate trainsets when coupled together.

   The Great Belt fixed link was opened for railway traffic in 1997 (a
   year before road traffic), replacing DSB's railway ferries. In 1997,
   infrastructural duties were branched off into a new agency under the
   Danish Ministry of Transport, Banestyrelsen (now: Banedanmark), leaving
   DSB with the task of train operation. A new design was presented in
   1998, as well as the announcement of the "Good Trains for All" plan,
   seeking to replace old and less comfortable trains by 2006/ 2007. DSB
   was turned into an independent public corporation on January 1, 1999.

   The goods department of DSB, DSB Gods, was merged with Railion in 2001,
   and DSB now solely manages passenger rail service, including the
   operation of railway stations.

Corporate structure

   DSB headquarters in Copenhagen.
   Enlarge
   DSB headquarters in Copenhagen.

   DSB is an independent public state-owned corporation under the Danish
   Ministry of Transport and Energy. This has been the case since 1999,
   and is the result of a political desire to liberalise the Danish
   railways. Thus, DSB now operates on a for-profit basis, although it
   retains certain public service commitments via contracts with the
   Ministry of Transport and Energy.

   As of 2005, DSB employs about 9,000 people; Keld Sengeløv, the current
   president and CEO, died due to an unknown illness while travelling with
   friends in Scotland, UK on 3rd September 2006. His successor is not
   known at this stage.

Divisions

     * DSB Salg (sales and marketing)
     * DSB Produktion (operation and maintenance of trains, except
       S-Trains)
     * DSB S-tog a/s (operation of the S-Train network)
     * DSB Detail a/s (management of shops on DSB stations)
     * DSB International (train operation abroad)

Services

   DSB operates several types of passenger trains, varying in number of
   stops and motive power. Apart from the S-Trains, types available for
   the general public include:
     * Regional trains (RØ in Eastern Denmark, RV in Western Denmark; ØR
       in the Oresund region)
     * LilleNord (PL) (trains on the LilleNord line between Hillerød and
       Elsinore)
     * Inter-regional trains (IR)
     * InterCity trains (IC)
     * Lyntog (L) (express trains)
     * EuroCity trains (EC)
     * EuroNight trains (EN)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danske_Statsbaner"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
