Track Superstructure Completed on the Dresdner Bahn

An extremely important interim milestone on the path toward commissioning the Dresdner Bahn at the end of 2025 has been achieved: the track systems are complete. This year, the final major line sections were completed, including, for example, the construction of around 5,000 meters of new track toward Berlin’s southern city boundary. At Kamenzer Damm, our team removed the final two construction points. In addition, point 607 was installed together with 400 meters of track to connect a private adjacent property, and at Attilastraße S-Bahn station the final gap in the track was closed to connect to Südkreuz station.

In the video, we give you a review of the last regular tamping at Kamenzer Damm as well as the subsequent load test using our two hybrid locomotives in double traction.

Thanks to the intensive cooperation within the SPITZKE Group, good coordination with the client, and close collaboration between the individual trades, it was possible to bundle the final tamping works in the spring and carry them out efficiently. The track, which was quickly realised from a superstructure engineering perspective, was immediately taken over by our colleagues responsible for underground cable construction, signaling and train control systems, point heating systems, and overhead contact line works.

At the same time, load test runs with a 2,000-metric-ton train were carried out over one weekend in May. These were followed by load-related tamping runs on all tracks and points. “This ensures that the line can enter service in December without speed restrictions,” said our responsible project manager.

New Track Alignment for Long-distance Rail on the Dresdner Bahn

“This is a real milestone,” he said during the final tamping shift. “Here at Kamenzer Damm, we laid the first meters of track for the long-distance line,” he explained, pointing north and looking back over the past five years. “It’s incredible what has been accomplished here: first, we partially shifted the S-Bahn, including traction power and the 30 kV line, onto the future long-distance alignment, upgraded the route—partly on a new alignment including new platforms and bridges—and then shifted the tracks back again. Then we completed the entire long-distance alignment. In doing so, around 24,000 meters of track systems and 16 points were built from the ground up with our joint venture partners, including noise barriers, overhead contact lines, underground cable works, retaining walls, and everything that goes with it,” he explained. The collaboration with SPITZKE LOGISTIK GmbH, SPITZKE SCHWEISSTECHNIK GmbH, and the Track Construction Machinery division must also be mentioned here, because only through the strong cooperation of everyone involved was it possible to complete the track systems.

At the beginning of May, load test runs took place over the weekend with a 2,000-metric-ton train. Immediately afterward, load-related tamping runs were carried out on all tracks and points. This was to ensure that line could enter service as scheduled in December.

Things will not quiet down on the Dresdner Bahn between now and commissioning. Quite the opposite. The teams are working at full speed. For instance, after completing the track work, the underground cable construction team now has an enormous workload ahead of them. There are about 16,000 meters of cable troughs to be installed along the long-distance line. The same applies to the other specialists within the SPITZKE group up until the final commissioning of the Dresdner Bahn.