Crumbling Bridges in Berlin: Spontaneous Dismantling of Overhead Line Systems
With fewer than 48 hours of preparation, our overhead contact line (OCL) teams from Stuttgart rushed to Berlin to dismantle the overhead contact line systems under two structurally unsound bridges. This was done in under two days, even though only one bridge had originally been planned.
On Tuesday morning, April 1st, the inquiry arrived at our Equipment / Electrical Engineering Department: the overhead contact line system beneath the deteriorated Halensee Bridge in Berlin needed to be dismantled. This was no joke, but rather an urgent measure due to Berlin’s severely strained traffic situation.
Background: Interrupted Service on Berlin S-Bahn Ring
The Halensee Bridge leads the A100 highway over Berlin’s Ring-bahn and is part of the radio tower’s freeway junction—one of the busiest traffic hubs in Germany, with approximately 230,000 vehicles per day. After a known crack in the bridge suddenly expanded, the motorway was completely closed in mid-March. Shortly thereafter, S-Bahn services running underneath the bridge also had to be suspended. The Federal Ministry of Transport allocated €150 million for the immediate reconstruction of the A100 bridge.
After the question of feasibility was received on Tuesday (April 1st), the colleagues who were needed for this special operation were notified the same evening. Just one day later, it was clear that the complete dismantling of the overhead contact line system, including the masts, could be carried out and how it would be implemented. On Thursday morning, our deployment team discussed the situation on site and inspected the track and overhead contact line system under the deteriorating bridge. The required technicians, machine operators, and train drivers set off to Berlin with the overhead line maintenance/installation vehicles. In addition, the central OCL dispatching unit allocated additional vehicles and equipment from across Germany.
With Short-Notice, an Additional Scope: The Westend Bridge
The fact that work could begin on Friday (April 4th) at 7 am was made possible by the support of the entire SPITZKE group. For instance, road-rail excavators were made available from the Dresdner Bahn Railway Line project on short notice, and materials were supplied by the warehouse in Wittenberg. The willingness and commitment of many colleagues make such successful operations possible.
In the end, within two days and fewer that 48 hours of preparation, not only was the overhead contact line system removed from under Halensee Bridge, but also from the Westend Bridge which is also scheduled for demolition. The additional work was carried out by our OCL team on Saturday (April 5th). With their dedication, quick decision-making, and excellent team spirit, we once again demonstrated what SPITZKE stands for.
We say: Thank you and hats off to everyone involved!
