Wedoany.com Report-Dec 17, The Riedbahn has been operating again since yesterday night.

Deutsche Bahn (DB) has successfully completed the first major overhaul of the heavily used rail network: from 11 p.m. yesterday night, trains have again run over the Riedbahn line between Frankfurt/Main and Mannheim.

"The Riedbahn is one of the most important railway arteries in Hesse. The fact that it is now available for rail operations again after the sacrifices made during the renovation period of this federally owned infrastructure is a particular cause for celebration for our federal state. In this context, the improved facilities at the stations and the urgently needed noise protection measures should also be emphasised. However, even after the renovation, the Riedbahn will remain one of the most heavily used lines in the German rail network. That is why we need – in addition to the renovation – the rapid continuation of the planning of the expansion projects, such as the new Frankfurt-Mannheim line, here as well as in other parts of the network," explains Umut Sönmez, State Secretary at the Hessian Ministry for the Economy, Energy, Transport, Housing and Regional Development.

Since 15 July, around 800 employees of DB and the construction companies involved have been working on the approximately 70-kilometre-long line to almost completely renew the outdated infrastructure, which was prone to disruption.

"The completion of the first general overhaul is an important step in the structural renewal of our infrastructure. Within just five months, we have completely renovated the accident-prone Riedbahn in a strong team effort together with our construction partners and supported by an unprecedented political will. New tracks, points, signals and signal box technology will ensure stable operations on this busy line in the future. Only by renovating our infrastructure, which is too old, too prone to failure and too full, can we improve the operational situation at DB and ensure the long-term economic viability of the Group," DB CEO Richard Lutz describes long-term issues regarding railway net and infrastructure.

Because the upgrade should reduce operational disruptions on one of the busiest lines in Germany by up to 80 per cent. This makes the general overhaul one of the central pillars of the S3 modernisation programme that the group approved in September.