- Wissing: The railway becomes more resilient in extreme weather
The recently launched comprehensive renovation has made the Riedbahn less susceptible to extreme weather, according to Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing. "We have different weather now than in the 1960s, so it's crucial that we adapt drainage systems on the railway to handle larger amounts of heavy rain," the FDP politician told the German Press Agency in a editorial interview in Mainz.
"This was an issue during the Euro 2020 football championship," Wissing said. "It wasn't just faulty equipment, but also the consequences of heavy rain events that caused trains to stop running."
Operation on a Main Artery
The Riedbahn is a route between Frankfurt and Mannheim. According to the railway, it's one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the country, known for its frequent disruptions. Now, it's the first of 41 routes to undergo a complete overhaul by 2031. Around 70 kilometers of the Riedbahn will be modernized, including tracks, overhead lines, signals, switches, bridges, and stations.
"The railway has a great opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities with this renovation," Wissing told dpa. The Riedbahn renovation took about a year and a half to prepare. "It's like operating on a main artery. You have to create bypasses and organize replacement traffic. The infrastructure I found as Transport Minister was in a poor state. Now, we're building 70 kilometers of track in record time - it used to take six to eight years for such a project."
"Despite the improvements, extreme weather still poses challenges to the Riedbahn's operations, as evidenced by the disruptions during last year's Euro 2020 football championship due to heavy rain."
"Given the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, it's essential to continue investing in infrastructure updates and adaptations to ensure the Riedbahn's resilience in the face of these challenges."
