The reactivation of the Fuchstalbahn would have many more options and connections than expected

Created: 06/07/2022, 16:00

On the podium: Moderator Anke Butscher with (from left) Wolfram Ruoff (Bürgerforum Buntes Fuchstal), Norbert Moy (Passenger Association Pro Bahn) and traffic planner Andreas Holzhey.

© Jais

It's about more than the route from Schongau to Landsberg: The reactivation of the Fuchstalbahn would bring connections to Munich and Augsburg as well as to the Allgäu in Kaufering, and in Schongau to the Pfaffenwinkel.

Traffic planner Andreas Holzhey emphasized this at an information evening.

Denklingen

- The "Bürgerforum Buntes Fuchstal" together with the working group Fuchstalbahn in the environmental initiative Pfaffenwinkel invited to this information evening in the Hofgartenhaus in Leeder.

Traffic planner Holzhey described that the track body of the 29-kilometer Fuchstalbahn route, on which only goods are currently transported, is in good condition.

It is planned that work will still be carried out between Schongau and Hohenfurch, but also north of Kinsau station.

However, the security technology in Landsberg and Schongau is outdated and needs to be renovated.

According to Holzhey, this is necessary anyway - regardless of whether local passenger transport is resumed on the route.

Smaller breakpoints do not need a station building

Holzhey compared that in 2001 there were still 49 level crossings between Schongau and Landsberg.

20 years later there were still 36. Five of them were technically secure.

In the case of local passenger transport, however, some crossings still have to be closed.

"I think that's justifiable," commented the traffic planner, who comes from Schongau.

Among the visitors: Peter Satzger (orange T-shirt) from the Landsberg nature conservation group.

He encouraged the citizens of Denklingen to become more involved in the subject.

© Jais

According to Holzhey, all station buildings along the route have been sold.

He himself is the owner of the train stations in Murnau, Landsberg and Schongau.

However, according to the traffic planner, there is no need for station buildings at smaller stations along the route.

A few parking spaces for cars would be sufficient in Denklingen.

The train station is fairly central.

Users of the Fuchstalbahn could come on foot or by bike.

“Bike and Ride” sites are therefore important.

80 to 100 kilometers per hour would be possible

Holzhey issued the motto for the travel time: “As quickly as necessary, but not as quickly as possible.” It is crucial that the intermediate stops are served without exception.

An expansion for a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour is possible, in some sections even up to 100 kilometers per hour.

Slow lanes should be avoided as much as possible.

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At the information evening, Anke Butscher from Hamburg wanted to find out what the timeline looks like until the Fuchstalbahn is built.

She is a partner in a consulting firm in Hamburg, has connections to Seestall and moderated the information evening.

The political process sees itself

"I'm sobered up about that," known traffic planner Holzhey.

You have to plan several years for the political process, in which the Weilheim-Schongau and Landsberg districts are just as involved as the Bavarian railway company (EVG).

Harald Baumann from Schongau, spokesman for the Fuchstalbahn working group in the Pfaffenwinkel environmental initiative, said of the political efforts: "It is currently at the beginning of the bottleneck." The working group wanted the Free State of Bavaria to waive the four criteria it had set for reactivation .

The state should itself commission a passenger forecast from a traffic planner.

More commitment from citizens and communities urged

A citizen asked where in Denklingen there would be space for a train stop if the former train station had already been sold.

Holzhey replied that Dr.

Manfred Hirschvogel-Strasse there are areas that belong to Deutsche Bahn.

Norbert Moy from the Pro Bahn passenger association (Weilheim) noted that the topic of "Park and Ride" places is sometimes overestimated.

Peter Satzger, district chairman of the Bund Naturschutz, called for more commitment to the issue of reactivation.

"If the citizens don't get involved, there won't be any support in Denklingen."

Traffic planner Holzhey said, with a view to some municipalities and the state, that revival should not be prevented with “old arguments”.

Guests from Schongau to Landsberg and also from abroad took part in the information evening in Leeder.

A number of mayors and councilors were present.

What was striking, however, was that no local politicians from Denklingen and Hohenfurch were present.

Reactivation is much more critical there than in Fuchstal, for example.

Its second mayor Stephan Völk said that the planned reactivation was “at the beginning of the process”.

The community doesn't want to prevent that.

"This should be the case in every municipality."

John Jais

By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular Schongau newsletter.