The Bahn gives start signal for the Riedbahn project's general renovation
The German Railway (Deutsche Bahn) plans to renovate 41 heavily used tracks in the coming years, starting with the 74-kilometer-long stretch between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim. The so-called Riedbahn is fully closed until mid-December, with Regional- and S-Bahns replaced by buses, long-distance and freight trains rerouted.
Tracks, switches, and control towers are all part of the renovation plan, as well as the rebuilding of 117 kilometers of tracks and over 15 kilometers of noise barriers. The entire signaling and safety technology will also be updated. Along the track, 20 train stations are planned to be renovated.
With the new concept, "the decades-long repair backlog in the express lane will be addressed," explained Wissing. He referred to the current rail infrastructure on Deutschlandfunk as an "Oldtimer" - after the renovation, there will be a "new start with a completely modern and interference-free infrastructure." He added that with the concept, the deficits of previous governments will be addressed. "We're not patching up the tracks anymore, but closing them and renovating everything."
The Riedbahn is the "most challenging corridor" and will be tackled first, said the minister. According to him, the utilization on certain sections of the corridor is currently over 150 percent. The track is like a "clogged main artery in an organism," where trains currently experience delays, which has implications for all of Germany. Therefore, this section is now being "clamped down" and renovated.
According to the railway, the Riedbahn is one of the busiest tracks in Germany. The cost of its renovation is estimated to be 1.3 billion Euros. The official start of construction work was scheduled for Monday evening 23.00. In total, 27 billion Euros are planned for the railway's renovation.
"I have serious doubts about the adherence to the schedule for the track renovations," said the CSU fraction vice-president Ulrich Lange to the "Augsburger Allgemeinen." The experience of the past years makes it difficult to believe that it will "run more smoothly" on the Riedbahn and the following tracks, he said. He also criticized the fact that bridges were excluded from the renovation. That has "nothing to do with a real renovation."
The Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) spoke of a "first stress test for the industry." The start of the renovation is a "significant step towards improving both passenger and freight rail transport." At the same time, the VDV pointed to potential problems with bypassing the closed tracks and demanded the closure of electrification gaps in the bypass area. This has been too cautious in the past and can now catch up.
- The General renovation of the Riedbahn, a heavily used 74-kilometer-long stretch in Germany, includes the renovation of 20 train stations.
- The Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, Volker Wissing, referred to the current rail infrastructure as an "Oldtimer," stating that the renovation will result in a "new start" with a modern and interference-free infrastructure.
- The cost of renovating the Riedbahn is estimated to be 1.3 billion Euros, with a total of 27 billion Euros planned for the railway's renovation over the coming years.
- The Federal Democratic Party (FDP) and German Railway have agreed on a comprehensive construction project to modernize the railway network, starting with the Riedbahn.
- Richard Lutz, the CEO of German Railway, acknowledged the challenges associated with the renovation, but emphasized the need to address the decades-long repair backlog and improve the overall efficiency of the railway network.
- The renovation of the Riedbahn will have implications for the entire railway network in Germany, as delays on this busy track can impact trains traveling between Frankfurt am Main and Mannheim.
- The German Railway plans to renovate 41 heavily used tracks in the coming years, with the Riedbahn being the most challenging corridor and the first project to be tackled in the renovation effort.
