Vienna-St. Pölten ÖBB Line Unusable for Months After Flooding

Vienna-St. Pölten ÖBB Line Unusable for Months After Flooding

APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER

 

The “new” West Line of the railway between Vienna and St. Pölten will be unusable for months following the recent flood disaster. The damage amounts to hundreds of millions of euros, as Judith Engel, chairwoman of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, stated at a press conference at Tullnerfeld station. When operations in this section will resume is currently uncertain.

The flooding particularly hard hit the Tullnerfeld station and the Atzenbrugg tunnel. Engel explained that the extent of the damage only became apparent in recent days after the fire department pumped out water that had stood one meter high. The rebuilding is expected to take several months. The once-in-a-century flood has caused unprecedented damage to the rail infrastructure.

Engel further elaborated that Tullnerfeld station symbolizes the destruction caused by the century flood. All electrical systems were flooded and destroyed. Christian Burkhart, district fire chief of Tulln, described the situation in Tullnerfeld as a “long-term issue.” The water was also pumped out of the Atzenbrugg tunnel, where the tracks were cleared of mud. “Unfortunately, the groundwater is rising sharply,” he added. The hall was still not dry on Monday.

The electrical systems in the 2.5-kilometer-long Atzenbrugg tunnel are expected to need to be reinstalled entirely. There is still no power supply at either Tullnerfeld station or the Atzenbrugg tunnel. According to Engel, there were also water intrusions and flooding in the Lainzer Tunnel, which connects Vienna-Meidling to the West Line and at the Hadersdorf junction. This has also resulted in damage to electrical installations, switch drives, and broken track components.

The “old” West Line through the Vienna Woods is expected to return to double-track operation by October 10. Engel expressed optimism that the remaining debris will be cleared and the track damages repaired. Safety on the line is a top priority.

The West Line is the most heavily trafficked connection of ÖBB. About 550 passenger and freight trains operate normally between Vienna and St. Pölten. Due to the disruption, only about 150 trains are currently running. With the commissioning of the second track on the “old” line, the capacity is expected to be raised to about 300, which corresponds to the level of 2012 when the new connection was opened. The chairwoman assured that work is being done “at full speed.”

Don’t have an account yet? 

Latest News

Reach out for a handcrafted promotion of your business or product.