When it comes to cars, the path is clear: the motto is to move away from combustion engines and towards electric drives. Things aren’t much different when it comes to rail transport. Here too, the diesel locomotives are to be replaced with electric ones. But similar to the charging network for electric cars, another network unfortunately throws a spanner in the works.
Electrical change at Deutsche Bahn: Lots of room for improvement on the route
Electric locomotives don’t need a battery, but they do continuous overhead line network. However, the German rail is literally one of these kilometers away – around 4,500 km to be exact. According to the coalition agreement, the government wants to provide this many kilometers of routes with power lines by 2030.
The problem: That’s what it would be for around 600 km a year is necessary. Most recently there were just 80 km. The proverbial drop in the ocean would seem like a flash flood in comparison. “This is an undignified situation,” criticizes the managing director of the pro-rail Alliance Alliance Dirk Flege (source: Editorial Network Germany/RND).
New trains are nice, but an old network can ruin a lot of things:
Deutsche Bahn presents the ICE L
Around 62 percent of the federally owned railway network currently has an overhead line supply. Calculated across all rails, Germany is just about the European average at 56 percent.
Rail transport is actually supposed to make a significant contribution to reducing harmful climate emissions. “The rail offers “The chance of achieving 100 percent climate neutrality faster than any other mode of transport,” explains Martin Henke, Managing Director of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).
According to the two experts, at the current speed the planned 75 percent (4,500 km) would not be possible by 2030, but rather a maximum of 65 percent. In the coming years there will be additional problems as a result of the general renovation of the route network. There, too, it is likely that trains will be on routes more often need to be rerouted where no overhead lines are available are.
Major railway construction site: Things are going downhill before things can get better
Means: switching to a diesel locomotive and initially First of all, more emissions than less. The experts see the duty of the FDP-led Ministry of Transport. Financing must now urgently be brought in order to quickly provide many kilometers of route with power lines for train operations.
In addition, the goals should be increased. According to the RND report, these are currently: Only around 1,100 of the necessary 4,500 km are planned. But: “Without electrification, no growth on rail is possible,” warns Flege. That’s exactly what would be desirable: According to the experts, rail transport – whether freight or passenger transport – is five times more efficient than on the road.
Did you enjoy the post? Follow us on WhatsApp and Google News and don’t miss any news about technology, games and entertainment.