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The Wachaubahn starts the summer season on March 16, 2024, just in time for the apricot blossom. As a special prelude, a state-of-the-art measuring vehicle was used for the digital inspection of the railway infrastructure.
The “EM120VT” from the Austrian company Plasser & Theurer ensures precise infrastructure data acquisition and thereby significantly optimizes the planning of maintenance work. “Digital measurement technology replaces complex surveying work and provides the basis for efficient maintenance of the railway infrastructure. With the revolutionary EM120VT measuring vehicle, digital measuring technology is raised to a new level and is being used for the first time on our historic Wachau railway line,” emphasizes LH deputy Udo Landbauer.
Modern maintenance of railway lines is based on precise knowledge of the condition of the infrastructure. The “EM120VT” measuring vehicle from Plasser & Theurer provides data from all components of the route in just one pass in an unprecedented level of detail. The data recorded seamlessly and precisely includes all relevant parameters of the track, switches, ballast bed/superstructure, substructure, overhead line and surroundings. The evaluation of this data allows a holistic approach, which enables efficient planning of condition-based maintenance work. “The data shows, for example, possible wear on the rail head, rail surface or sleeper defects. The integrated geo-radar also examines the gravel bed under the sleepers and detects dirt or mud spots. The results show exactly what needs to be done, when and where. This allows us to implement construction measures in an extremely proactive and cost-efficient manner,” adds Barbara Komarek, Managing Director of Niederösterreich Bahnen.
Another advantage is that the measurement data is obtained when the track is under load and an actual profile is thus collected. Other machines can use this data directly, for example for ongoing condition assessment. In addition, software compares the actual profile with a predefined target profile, classifies the deviations and documents all data.
The Wachaubahn starts the season on March 16, 2024. For frequent travelers, the season ticket is available at a special price with a 1 percent discount until May 2024, 50. Excursion guests remain flexible with the hop-on-hop-off day ticket - they can get on and off at any stop as often as they like. Of course, your bicycle travels free of charge throughout the season (reserving bicycle parking spaces is strongly recommended). Additional and special trains - such as the Wachau Wine Spring, the summer solstice or Advent - complement the diverse offering for all those who would like to travel stress-free in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Holders of the KlimaTicket travel at a reduced fare.
The Wachaubahn connects Krems an der Donau with Emmersdorf and runs every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday in the 2024 season from March 16th. It is in use every day from May 1st to November 3rd. The special timetable in the run-up to Christmas 2024 affects the Advent weekends on the 7th/8th, 14th/15th. and 21/22. December – the Wachaubahn then runs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
