Railway construction site
Rail traffic on the Riedbahn is “suddering”
Trains have been rolling over the completely renovated Riedbahn again since midnight. Traffic is gradually stabilizing, said a railway spokeswoman. However, there were still some delays at first.
Train traffic on the completely renovated Riedbahn between Frankfurt and Mannheim has been rolling again since midnight – albeit with some delays. A railway spokeswoman said in the morning that things were gradually starting to shake. It was initially unclear whether all trains would run on the main line again or whether some would still be diverted.
The first scheduled train, a regional express on the RE70 line, left shortly after midnight from Mannheim to Frankfurt after a five-month route closure, the railway also announced. A few minutes later, a train on the same line left Frankfurt Central Station in the opposite direction. A large part of the timetable should be on the road again this Sunday.
Restrictions until Christmas
Passengers on individual lines will have to accept restrictions until December 24th. The regional train lines RB 62 between Worms and Biblis and RB 63 between Worms and Bensheim will only then start operating again. Until then, replacement bus services will continue to apply.
The S-Bahn lines S8 between Biblis and Mannheim and S9 between Groß-Rohrheim and Mannheim will not run again until Christmas Eve. Freight traffic should also be gradually increased again by then.
More than a hundred kilometers of tracks renewed
During the almost six-month closure, the aging and overloaded railway line was completely renovated. More than a hundred kilometers of tracks, hundreds of signals and overhead line pylons were replaced. The sound insulation was improved and new switches were installed. Train stations and platforms along the route were also renovated.
The Riedbahn is considered an important bottleneck for nationwide long-distance transport. Delays that occur here often extend throughout the entire railway network. With the restructuring, the ailing company wants to take a first step towards becoming more reliable and punctual again. 40 additional busy corridors are to be renovated over the next few years based on the Riedbahn model.
dpa
Source: Stern
