Residenzbahn

Technical Specifications

Project description

The ‘Residenzbahn’ connects the two former royal capitals of the Grand Duchy of Baden and the Kingdom of Württemberg via the ‘Goldstadt’ (City of Gold), Pforzheim. The Residenzbahn project brings together Deutsche Bahn’s initiatives at the stations in Wilferdingen-Singen (Remchingen municipality) and Pforzheim, as well as on the line between Söllingen and Pforzheim. The planned measures are intended to remove barriers and improve the line’s capacity. As one of Deutsche Bahn’s first infrastructure projects, the Residenzbahn project is being implemented across all relevant project phases using the ‘PM 3’ rail partnership model – integrated project planning.

Construction

Under Contract Package 4 – Structural Engineering, we are undertaking the following works:

Earthworks and civil engineering
Renovation of the railway bridge over Luitgardstraße:

Demolition due to age and replacement of the structure (built in 1949)
Central city centre location at the western end of Pforzheim Central Station
Dimensions: approx. 39 m wide and 12 m long
Carries both the Residenzbahn and the Nagoldtalbahn
Seven tracks and three sets of points on the bridge

Construction of retaining structures and noise barriers both in the station areas and along the entire route
Lift shafts
Refurbishment and adaptation (installation of a noise barrier) to an existing retaining wall in Pforzheim (built in 1915)
Buildings (structural works) for signalling equipment

Geology

A stratigraphic sequence comprising gravel, clay and silt, extending down to siltstone or dolomite, is typical of this geographical location. From a hydrological perspective, the challenges include the groundwater level in the unconsolidated rock as well as confined groundwater in the bedrock.

General information

Project

Residenzbahn

Client

DB InfraGO AG

Contractor

The alliance partners in the multi-party contract are:

VP1 – INGE ResidenzRail: Obermeyer GmbH & Co. KG in partnership with Schüßler-Plan Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
VP2 – LEONHARD WEISS GmbH & Co. KG
VP3 – REIF Bauunternehmung GmbH & Co. KG in conjunction with Rhomberg Sersa Bahntechnik GmbH
VP4 – Wayss & Freytag Ingenieurbau AG
VP5 – DB InfraGO AG

Construction period

Phase 1 (planning phase) 2025 to the end of 2028

Phase 2 (construction phase) 2029 to the end of 2030: (commissioning)

Use
Infrastructure
Type
Railway viaducts, retaining structures, noise barriers, lift shafts and buildings housing signalling equipment
Length
Railway viaduct: 39.0 m wide and 12.0 m clear span
Noise barriers: 1,351.0 m
Retaining wall refurbishment/upgrading: 120.0 m
Construction method
Phase 1: Involvement from the preliminary design stage through to detailed design.
Phase 2: Foundation on bored piles, prefabrication as a frame structure and transport using SPMTs.

A more efficient rail network

The Residenzbahn connects the cities of Karlsruhe, Pforzheim and Stuttgart – three former royal seats that give the line its name. The Residenzbahn project focuses on the section between Söllingen and Pforzheim, as well as on works at the stations at Wilferdingen-Singen (Remchingen) and Pforzheim. The aim is to remove existing barriers and sustainably improve the line’s capacity.

The project is being implemented under the IPA Rail Partnership Model (PM 3) via a multi-party contract, which provides for close integration of planning and implementation-oriented project management within a joint project organisation.
Project management is based on a joint target cost framework and an open, incentive-based remuneration system that consistently aligns the economic interests of the parties involved with the project’s success.

Experience part of the project digitally – directly in our BIM model of the Wilferdingen-Singen transport hub