"Our technology is totally outdated": BRB Managing Director Schuchmann on the daily problems with the rails

Created: 02/16/2022, 09:22

By: Dieter Dorby

Risky system: The rail network of the Bavarian Regiobahn in the Oberland (photo above) is single-track in many places.

This was originally intended to save costs.

© tp

The S-Bahn accident that occurred on line S 7 on Monday afternoon casts a shadow over the supposed safety of local public transport on the rails.

Because the accident happened in a single-track area.

District – This section is used in both directions for a certain distance – similar to what is often the case in the route network of the Bavarian Regiobahn (BRB) in the Oberland.

We spoke to BRB Managing Director Arnulf Schuchmann about initial thoughts and fundamental problems on the rails.

Mr. Schuchmann, you are currently on winter vacation.

How did you find out about the S-Bahn accident?

What were your first thoughts?

The electronic media are quite fast, and my first thought was: not again.

We had Bad Aibling almost exactly six years ago, and we had Aichach in May 2018. Apparently something has to happen in the greater Munich area every two or three years.

And the question that arises for me is: Why can't we get a handle on this in a different way?

"Bavaria is like a developing country"

Legitimate question.

Do you have an explanation?

I can't say anything about the accident in Schäftlarn.

But in general it has to be said that some of our infrastructure and technology are completely outdated and prone to failure.

I was the managing director of Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn GmbH in Berlin for nine years.

And in comparison, Bavaria is like a developing country.

The Bad Aibling accident on February 9, 2016, in which twelve people died, happened because the dispatcher was distracted by his cell phone.

And in Aichach, a dispatcher had put a switch wrong.

Isn't it rather the human being that is the weak point?

Precise train routing is a prerequisite for preventing collisions in today's train traffic.

As in the current case of the S 7, the collision near Bad Aibling 2016 (photo) occurred in the single-track area - due to a mistake by the dispatcher.

© Sven Hoppe/dpa

When technology can't do it, the human factor comes into play.

It is well known that there are always technical problems.

This is due in particular to the interlockings and the control and safety technology.

Our relay technology is old, the monitor display is not sufficient.

All for infrastructural reasons.

The dispatchers do not always know where their trains are.

You have a problem, send a train on on command, and someone else might not know it and make the wrong decision at the same time – a combination of coincidence and an unclear situation.

And the technology that is supposed to help is often missing.

"There is no magic formula"

Would a technical upgrade be a solution?

In my opinion, there is no magic formula.

We had two broken rails on the route in the district at the weekend - the tracks date back to the 1950s.

They also need to be exchanged.

The material was well designed for occasional rail traffic with the steam locomotive, which drove at 30 km/h.

But we have a 30-minute cycle and drive between 60 and 100 km/h.

It becomes even clearer with the S-Bahn.

It runs every two minutes on the main route.

The suburban railways in Singapore or other major cities are more stable because the system was built later, is newer and is therefore better suited to today's load requirements.

A large exchange program in Germany is difficult when traffic is supposed to be running at the same time - it's like open-heart surgery, isn't it?

Right.

If you renovate or build something on the freeway, reduce the lanes from three to two.

Traffic flows slower, but it flows.

And you have a clear construction site lane.

You can't do that with the railway.

It works for temporary bridges, but we can't temporarily build an extra track.

We don't stand a chance - that's the dilemma.

How do you see the role of Deutsche Bahn, which owns the infrastructure?

The colleagues at DB Netz do what they can.

But the problem is that the rail network is too big and in a bad condition.

“Politicians know the issue”

Can something be improved with political decisions?

Politicians know the issue.

The financial resources are also provided, but the capacities for planning and construction are lacking.

Companies are busy and prices are rising.

Then there are our regulations.

If a level crossing is unsafe in France, it gets a barrier.

With us, the entire level crossing is rebuilt according to the latest knowledge and regulations with flashing lights and danger zone surveillance.

That costs ten times as much and takes years.

With all the need for safety, but with the specifications of the Federal Railway Authority, there is also a lot of trouble.

In my view, too much is delegated to experts.

And planning approval procedures are also too complex.

That's why I personally have my doubts that electrification will work in the Oberland by 2030.

"Every misfortune is one too many"

How are your employees dealing with this situation?

Especially now, when you see that something can happen?

It's a topic we don't talk about like that.

Maybe that's also due to the railway world, which is still very male-dominated - they don't like to talk about feelings.

That's why I can't comment on that.

Of course, our employees can contact us at any time.

The railway is the safest means of transport - especially when you consider the number of trains that are on the road every day.

But it is also clear that every misfortune is one too many.

ddy