The work is being carried out as a precautionary measure, as sleepers of a certain construction type are also being examined by the investigating authorities in connection with the accident near Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 3 June.
As a consequence of this derailment, five people died and 68 passengers were injured, 16 of them seriously. RAILMARKET.com wrote about this accident in this article.
Even though the investigations have not yet been completed and the cause of the accident has not yet been determined, DB has decided, purely as a precautionary measure, to inspect sleepers of the same construction on the network.
The inspections have already started. Around 200,000 sleepers are being examined. If DB finds any abnormalities, it will replace the sleepers as quickly as possible. Until the sleepers have been replaced, trains will travel at lower speeds over the affected sections. In individual cases, sections of the line may also be closed.
The sleepers are only fifteen years old on average. According to current knowledge, around 0.25 percent of all concrete sleepers in the DB network are affected. The inspections cover lines in all regions nationwide. The first sleeper replacements have already begun, and DB is currently drawing up a comprehensive plan.
During work, it will not always be possible to avoid restrictions such as diversions or travel time extensions. DB asks all travelers for their understanding and apologies.
