With the prospect of increasing hot days, Deutsche Bahn is introducing a “climate resilience strategy” for future weather extremes.
Better vegetation management on the track and robust vehicles are planned.
Berlin (dpa) - Deutsche Bahn is preparing for more extreme weather conditions. The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) analyzed weather data from 1961 to 2020 on behalf of the transport provider and developed scenarios for 2031 to 2060. "Particularly in extreme heat (from a temperature of 32 degrees) and strong winds (from wind force 8) there is an increase in disruptions to the rail infrastructure," warns the report.
According to the institute's assessment, hot days will continue to increase in perspective - with a focus on the regions of Mainz, Karlsruhe and parts of north-east Germany. At the same time the number of ice days is falling significantly, especially in the western regions. The Potsdam Institute also assumes that the southern federal states and the Hagen region will be hit hardest by heavy rain in the future.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) is preparing for future weather extremes with a "climate resilience strategy".
This includes better vegetation management on the track and robust vehicles.
In the future, sensors will record system temperatures and ambient conditions around the clock so that you can react quickly.
To ensure the stability of the air conditioning systems in its long-distance trains alone, DB spends an amount in the mid double-digit million range every year.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210619-99-56335 / 2
