Kick-off General Renovation Rechter Rhein Corridor
The next corridor project is already on the horizon: preparation for the “Rechter Rhein” project will begin in just a few weeks. The five-month main closure is scheduled from July to December 2026.
The entire route, divided into four contract lots, runs from Wiesbaden to Unkel, in the south of Bonn. We have been awarded Lot 2, covering the 41.3 km construction section between Kaub and Oberlahnstein. In this section, we will deliver a wide range of civil engineering works, including:
- Demolition and reconstruction of three culverts
- Removal of one pedestrian overpass
- New construction / reconstruction of eight railway bridges
- Comprehensive modernization of eight passenger stations (platforms including stairs and canopies, elevators and pedestrian tunnels)
- Renovation of 1,800 m of heavy-weight retaining walls
- 5,800 m² of rock slope stabilization
In addition to these extensive civil engineering tasks, track infrastructure renovation is also part of the scope. The following work, et al., will be carried out:
- Tamping work on 20,200 meters of track
- Complete ballast renewal and formation rehabilitation on 4,750 m
- 3,200 m of track renewal
- Renewal of 34 points
- 18 new masts
- 2,200 component grounding points
- 35,800 m OCL/cable installation
- Modification and new installation of 21 point-heaters
- 3 signal foundations
- 73,000 m of cable laying for signaling (LST)/telecommunication
- Construction of two concrete signal equipment buildings
- 42,200 m underground cable construction
“This is an enormous contract which will challenge the entire group. Under normal conditions with traffic still running, this would be planned as a four-year construction period. We will complete it in about four and a half months,” said our Head of Major Projects / Civil Engineering. A special feature of the right Rhine corridor is the split construction phase: during the middle of the main construction period, the line must be operable for two weeks because of acceptance testing of the electronic interlocking system (ESTW). This means, for example, that only two months of construction time will be available for the construction of new railway bridges.
During the first closure in July 2025, preparatory work will be carried out for logistical reasons: In just 150 hours total, track construction crews from the Central Competence Center will dismantle the track so that our civil engineering specialists can demolish the old culvert and install the new prefabricated structure. Due to this, the overhead contact line (OCL) team will temporarily realign the OCL system and subsequently return it to service.
