Electrification of Eifel Railway Line

The temporary bridges are assembled: for two railway bridges at the Eifel line, two temporary bridges each were required so that substructures can be built while rail traffic keeps rolling. Those temporary bridges have now been completed and will be opened for operation in the coming days.

Heavy storms in July 2021 hit the railway infrastructure in Rhineland-Palatinate and North-Rhine Westphalia at historic levels. Especially bridges and retaining structures along the tracks were heavily damaged or completely destroyed.

To meet requirements of a modern and climate-friendly regional rail transport at the Eifel line after its reconstruction, it will be equipped with a modernised control and safety technology as well as overhead cable installations for electrification.

In the framework of the overall project, SSF provides the draft and approval designs of three railway bridges and around 30 road bridges.

At two railway bridges initially a reinforced concrete frame structure was planned. During the design process it became clear that those structures could not meet new flood requirements. Instead, support-free steel trusses on the top will be erected. The substructures will be built underneath the now-completed temporary bridges underneath the existing tracks.

Structure data:

km 124,340: temporary bridge ZH09, span width L=9.60 m

km 126,960: temporary bridge ZH12, span width L=12 m