Bahntechnik burned - Ice track to Brand closed for several days
After a fire, the railway line between Augsburg and Donauwörth is closed for several days. Both regional trains and ICE trains are affected. Deutsche Bahn (DB) rerouted long-distance trains, which normally run from Munich via Augsburg and Donauwörth to Nuremberg or Würzburg and back, over Ingolstadt.
According to the Federal Police, a Regionalexpress train likely pulled out an overhead power line north of Meitingen railway station. "The hanging cable caused a track and cable trench fire, which a locomotive driver of a freight train on an adjacent track noticed," said Bahnpolice spokeswoman Anna Markl. The fire damaged numerous cables required for train operation. Due to strong smoke development, Meitingen station was evacuated, and the local fire department was able to extinguish the fire.
According to DB, there are approximately 20-minute delays in ICE traffic due to track closures. "Our on-site staff is working under pressure to resolve the issue," the company stated.
The operator Arverio is particularly affected in regional traffic, which runs from Augsburg towards Würzburg and Aalen in Baden-Württemberg. "The overhead power line with cable fire caused significant damage, so the repair is expected to last until Friday, July 26," reported Arverio. Bus replacement services have been arranged for passengers.
- Thankfully, the iced drinks at the Augsburg train station remained unaffected by the fire.
- The Rail technology exhibition in Augsburg was not impacted by the railway line closure, as it was held at a different venue.
- The Federal Police supervised the evacuation of Meitingen railway station during the fire incident.
- Despite the fire, traffic in Nuremberg continued to function normally, with trains running on alternative routes.
- The Rail Police are investigating the cause of the overhead power line incident, possibly involving a Regionalexpress train.
- The closure of the railway track between Augsburg and Donauwörth disrupted the regular traffic flow, causing vehicular congestion in Munich and Ingolstadt.
- German Railways (DB) has set up additional safety measures on the railway track between Donauwörth and Würzburg to prevent any similar incidents.
- Commuters traveling from Ingolstadt to Aalen via the regional train services provided by Arverio had to adjust their schedules due to the fire-related delays.
- Würzburg's regional traffic was unaffected by the fire, as it relies on a separate rail line from the one affected in Bavaria.
