Iron Rhine Railway line could be reactivated

Symbolic picture by Manfred Richter on Pixabay

Amid growing security concerns about Russia on the part of the EU and NATO, talks about reactivating the Iron Rhine railway line for military mobility are being resumed by Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.

In March, Flemish politicians had already floated the idea of reopening the line. Talks have resumed under the leadership of Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The line, which was built by Germany during the First World War and was of crucial importance to the Allies during the Second World War, has been largely unused since 1991. It connected the port of Antwerp with the German Ruhr region by direct rail.

Belgium sees this rail link as an opportunity to boost both the economy and the military mobility of the EU, especially as other rail lines are congested. This line is therefore an interesting addition as a hinterland connection from the Antwerp-Bruges fusion port to Germany and Eastern and Southern Europe.

Sources: 

VRT.be

Duisport testing climate-neutral operation

Foto by Duisport/Marco Stepniak

Group photo (from left): Markus Bangen (duisport CEO), Viktor Haase (State Secretary in the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of North Rhine-Westphalia), Prof. Dr. Manfred Renner (Head of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT), Michael Stipa (Senior Vice President Business Development & Product Management

The ‘enerPort II’ project at the Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT) is entering its test phase, demonstrating that a terminal of this size can be operated in a climate-neutral manner using solar energy and hydrogen.

The project will supply energy for the largest container hub in the European hinterland, including crane systems, terminal lighting, and supplying heat and electricity to an office building. The electrical energy required for the 235,000 square metre site will be generated by photovoltaic systems, fuel cell systems, and a combined heat and power plant. The power supply systems will be combined with battery storage and a microgrid for intelligent control of all generators and consumers.

The first hydrogen delivery took place in May, and since then, all components have been successfully tested. The grid connection has been approved, allowing photovoltaics and battery storage to contribute to the project. Ships in the port will also benefit from the new infrastructure, as they can be supplied with emission-free energy via shore power systems.

The project is considered a showcase project and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy with around 11.6 million euros. The Oberhausen-based Fraunhofer UMSICHT Institute is leading the research project together with duisport, with other partners including Westenergie Netzservice GmbH, Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG, Netze Duisburg GmbH, and Stadtwerke Duisburg AG. The project includes one open-space PV plant, two hydrogen fuel cell containers, two hydrogen combined heat and power plants, and one battery storage facility.

Source(in German):

Duisport.de

Construction on Hochrheinbahn railway line between Basel and Erzingen in Baden

Symbolic picture by Erwin van der Linden, Aristoi

Deutsche Bahn (DB) is set to begin construction on the Hochrheinbahn railway line between Basel and Erzingen in Baden, marking the end of diesel trains in the region.

The 75-km-long rail link is estimated to cost €434 million to upgrade. The project will also improve connections along the Upper Rhine and connect southern Baden, Lake Constance, and northern and eastern Switzerland.

Switzerland is contributing 50 million Swiss francs (around 53 million euros) to the financing. Passengers will face restrictions from 2026, with the line between Rheinfelden and Erzingen closed from April 2026. The section between Waldshut station and Erzingen is scheduled to reopen in March 2027, followed by the section between Rheinfelden and Waldshut in July 2027. Over 70% of the routes have been electrified to date.

Source(in German): 

Bahnblogstelle.com