Infrastructure Adjustments for 750-Meter-Trains

Longer trains need infrastructure adjustments ©Deutsche Bahn

German rail infrastructure is preparing for longer freight trains. This means to extend passing tracks and siding and to reposition signals, across the whole main line network. While these measures are thus disperse, they include a number of locations along the Rhine-Alpine corridor.

Additional Tracks to Ease Düsseldorf Bottleneck

South of Düsseldorf Central Station, the four-track main line holds local S-Bahn traffic, regional rail and long distance passenger traffic, each with high density. It also has some freight traffic, although most of the long distance freight uses a parallel double track line, bypassing downtown Düsseldorf. The different speeds and conflicting schedules cause a bottleneck, which an additional pair of tracks will eliminate.

Planning for Frankfurt Downtown Tunnel

Long distance passenger traffic between the Rhine-Alpine corridor and the city of Frankfurt must reverse at Frankfurt Central Station to continue to destinations elsewhere. This is a time-consuming and complex operation. The federal government dedicated money to the planning of an underground rail link across Frankfurt that is to supplement the existing rail infrastructure.

Find the complete list of infrastructure measures here (external link, German language).

Duisport: Preliminary Study for a Hydrogen Switcher

Contemporary switcher ©duisport Frank Reinhold

At this time, approximately 2,700 diesel switchers are still in use in Germany. Many of these are more than 50 years old and without emission regulations. This leads to a negative impact on air quality, especially at the locations where they are used.

The Port of Duisburg (duisport), together with the DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt) and the ZBT (Zentrum für Brennstoffzellen-Technik), is committed to the development and start-up of a hydrogen switcher. A milestone for the long-term prevention of greenhouse emissions and the further development of environmentally friendly transportation.

The project will cost EUR 185,000 in total. The Ministry for Innovation, Digitization and Energy for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has now committed itself to funding 50 percent of the costs.

Read more details here (external link)

Rhine-Alpine Talks on 16 April: “Inland Navigation”

We kindly invite you to the “Rhine-Alpine Talks” #8 on 16 April 2021, 11am – 12.30pm. It will deal with the topic “The Unlocked Potential of Inland Navigation to Green Rhine-Alpine Corridor”. The definite agenda will be published soon!

Become part of the corridor community and register here for this meeting!