Munich U-Bahn gears up for World Cup

International Railway Journal, Sept, 2004

URBAN rail networks often benefit when major sporting events are planned. The Munich U-Bahn is no exception as the northern end of Line U6 is being upgraded to serve a new stadium being built at Frottmaning for the World Cup football championship in 2006.

The project involves rebuilding and expanding Frottmaning station to provide four platform tracks, new turn-back sidings, and elevated walkways to the stadium. In addition, Siemens is installing an electronic interlocking, to replace a 30-year-old relay interlocking. The new one will be able to set about 150 routes and control 46 signals and 42 emergency stop signals, 40 points, and 88 track sections. The project also includes the installation of LED signals and nearly 200 axle counters.

This is the first use of axle counters on the U-Bahn instead of track circuits. The main benefit of using axle counters is a reduction in maintenance costs. Axle counters also do not suffer from false occupancy data because of poor conduction, although axle counters will not detect a maintenance trolley if it is placed on the track without passing over an "axle counter.

Munich Transport (MVG) has quite a lot of signalling and other equipment which is now 30 years old. However, MVG has been told by the city council to extend the life of equipment as much as possible because of a shortage of funds. MVG plans to replace the interlocking at Scheidplatz about five years from now.

Nevertheless, MVG has started to study a scheme to turn trains around automatically. This could be the first step towards full automation of the U-Bahn. MVG is also studying a system to detect objects wider than 2mm caught in train doors. A passenger was killed about three years ago when the person became trapped in the doors of a train.

Line U6 is being extended by 3.4km to Garching Research Centre. This two-station extension will open in 2006. Next month, MVG will open a short extension to Line U1 to Olympia Shopping Centre. Several other short extensions are planned for the U-Bahn. The priority is to extend Line U5 from Laimer Platz to Pasing to connect with the S-Bahn.