Protecting railway tracks against the threat of mother nature

ÖBB, Austrian Federal Railways, has pledged to invest in the protection of its railway tracks from falling rocks and avalanches.

In 2019, ÖBB will invest over €4.3 million in new installations for the protection of railway facilities in Upper Austria. Additionally, there will be a focus on greater avalanche safety through additional protective devices, especially on mountainous routes.

Rockfall, avalanche, flood and torrent barriers are an essential part of safe operation on the ÖBB railway lines. In Upper Austria, the investment will focus on rockfall barriers, avalanche protection and flood protection structures. The main areas of the country that will see investment are on the Ennstalstrecke, the Pyhrnstrecke, the Summerauerstrecke, the Mühlkreisbahn and the track Lambach-Laakirchen.

ÖBB has already made headway in the protection of the railway lines, including: 

• Ennstalstrecke: Rockfall protection structures between Trattenbach and Großraming and along the route between Kleinreifling, Weißenbach-St. Gallen and Großreifling, rock networks along the route between Kleinreifling, Weißenbach-St. Gallen and Großreifling
• Pyhrn line: Technical track monitoring of the Klaus, Lainberg and Radingberg ridges along the Pyhrn line between Klaus an der Pyhrnbahn and Roßleithen; Geschiebrückhaltebecken and drainages in the area Linzerhaus
• Summerauerstrecke: Felssturzverbauung on the Summerauerbahn in the community Waldburg
• Mühlkreisbahn: Rockfall protection along the route between Gerling and Iglmühle; Rock stabilisation in Neufelden
• Lambach-Laakirchen: Rockfall protection on the route between Steyrermühl and Laakirchen.