For five years, residents in Trudering have been resisting plans to expand the railway directly on their properties. With the new construction of the Daglfinger and Truderinger curves as well as the double-track expansion between Trudering and Daglfing, Deutsche Bahn (DB) wants to create additional direct connections for freight transport. Trains up to 750 meters long will then rush past houses and gardens at speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour, just a few meters away.
The DB has so far rejected two variants developed by the citizens themselves that are further away from the properties, not least because the Free State’s vehicle depository would also have to be relocated. In addition, according to the DB, one of the civil variants would not be compatible with the plans for the Steinhausen S-Bahn plant. This should either be expanded or rebuilt south of the current facility. According to Deutsche Bahn, a new building there would be impossible if the Truderinger curve was replanned.
The state government explains that the relocation of the vehicle depository is still being examined. But the residents no longer really want to believe that. The railway is now examining a tunnel-like enclosure for a section between Trudering and Daglfing. The suggestion for this came from the Free State, says the DB. “With this idea, the preferred variant A would be retained and supplemented by an enclosure possibly up to 700 meters long on the above-ground route,” said a railway spokeswoman when asked. “If this idea proves to be technically feasible, a financial solution would have to be sought with the federal government as the client and the Free State. The DB is already in discussions with the federal government about this.”
Variant A means: The route should remain where the DB wants it. The citizens’ changed route suggestions would be off the table. But if you believe Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter and Science Minister Markus Blume (both CSU), who is also a constituency representative for the east of Munich, both also support the alternative planning in the sense of the citizens’ variants, which also includes the relocation of the vehicle depository. Both options should remain open, says Blume. “The ideal solution for the Trudering node is an enclosure that protects against noise and vibration.”
According to the state government, this would almost completely shield the immediate residential development from railway noise. This would take into account the concerns of local residents, says the Ministry of Transport.
For Peter Brück, spokesman for the local residents “TDKS” (Truderinger and Daglfinger Kurve und Spange), the DB’s about-face comes as somewhat of a surprise. The enclosure was one of the suggestions that the Truderingers made to the DB some time ago. According to Brück, the railway rejected the idea because it was neither included in the budget nor technically feasible. Now Brück says: “We are happy that something is moving for the first time.”
Of course, an enclosure would not change the fact that freight traffic rushes past in the immediate vicinity of the properties. The residents therefore submitted a written statement on Wednesday. Among other things, they demand that the enclosure extends at least from the Schatzbogenbrücke to the intersection of the railway line to Riem, after the Thomas-Hauser-Straße level crossing. The entire route should also be equipped with a sound-absorbing mass-spring system. They are calling for noise protection measures for the section of the Truderinger Curve, and further vibration and sound-absorbing measures that go beyond the current planning status should be planned for the route to Riem opposite the residential development on Thomas-Hauser-Straße. This also applies to the section in Riem at the Luise-Kiesselbach-Haus retirement home.