Image: VOLKER Weihbold
460 trains run between Linz and Wels every day. 300 of them continue to Vöcklabruck. If the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) have their way, they will soon increase tact and reliability.
The most modern technology for railway operations has now been implemented on the 57-kilometer route with the digital train control system “ETCS” (not to be confused with the system of coursework ECTS).
The “European Train Control System” controls distances, the direction of travel and the speed of the trains in real time. This should make it possible to have more trains (passenger and freight traffic) run more reliably, more punctually and more safely on the route section. However, the section between Linz and Vöcklabruck (the associated route control center is in Vienna, trains on the section are monitored digitally in Linz) is only a start. ÖBB aims to double the performance of the entire rail system by 2040.
To this end, a 400 million euro framework agreement was presented with Siemens Mobility on Tuesday in Linz, which guarantees long-term cooperation.
“We are experiencing a true renaissance of rail travel in Europe, in Austria we have to cope with a decent increase in passengers. An efficient rail infrastructure is crucial for achieving the climate goals in Austria. We are concentrating on coping with the expected increases in traffic and the shift from the road on the digital initiatives,” said Johann Pluy, CEO of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG.
Closer distances possible
The ETCS system forms the basis for autonomous driving at optimum speed.
Due to the long braking distances, trains without the system have to keep large distances, while those with ETCS can travel at closer intervals thanks to the precise location of the vehicles and mobile communication, and thus transport more people and goods in a shorter time.
There have already been positive experiences from the Vienna-Breclav, Vienna-St. Pölten and Kufstein-Brenner. The aim is to equip all Austrian high-speed routes and main connections with the modern ETCS Level 2. ÖBB is already investing 20 million euros in this by 2026. A total of around 900 million euros are planned in the federal government’s framework plan entitled “ETCS and train control”.
Long-distance travelers should soon also benefit from digitization: As a Europe-wide standard, ETCS should shorten trips to international destinations and make them significantly more comfortable.
Source: Nachrichten
