ÖBB Annual Report 2023

Group Management Report 122 Österreichische Bundesbahnen-Holding Aktiengesellschaft Consolidated Financial Statements | Group Management Report 77 In the future, more damage to railway facilities and line disruptions as a result of storms are to be expected. Sources of danger are mainly storms, which occur in very small areas during thunderstorms, but with high wind speeds. In addition, heat and water stress or pests may impair the protective capacity of forests. A functional and stable protective forest is of great importance in order to safeguard the railway infrastructure against landslides, mudslides or avalanches. ÖBB is therefore focusing on preserving the area of managed protected forest, which remains constant at 3,370 hectares, as a central measure. Extreme weather events repeatedly pose major challenges for the availability of rail infrastructure, which in turn affects punctuality. The geographical terrain in Austria means that there are only very long diversionary routes for trains, so appropriate rail substitution services are mostly provided. This is associated with considerable logistical effort and delays for travellers. Such damage occurrences caused by the weather should be avoided as far as possible and further reduced. This included the launch of the “clim_ect” project in 2019, which was successfully completed in 2021. The project results allow statements to be made on the probability of occurrence of a weather-related damage event. This is achieved by overlapping the meteorological data with weather observations for a specific small-scale reference level. This makes it possible to identify hazard corridors on the rail infrastructure in the future and take preventive action. The VIF project “INGEMAR” (Intelligent Natural Hazard Management and Risk Assessment) has now been successfully completed. The main results of this are the linking of weather data with the assessment of the condition of technical protective structures and protective forest cover. These are currently used in the ÖBB avalanche warning service. The VIF project KlimZug (climate change adaptation in rail transport by forecasting extreme weather events and changes in energy supply due to climate change) follows on seamlessly from INGEMAR. The forecasting of extreme weather events will be examined and improved from 2022 to 2024. In 2023, options for the detection of superficial and shallow landslides were developed as part of an FFG research project. These types of landslides are very difficult to predict in terms of their location and are also not announced before they occur. They may be triggered by long periods of precipitation, but also by short periods of very intense rain, such as during thunderstorms. The main aim of the research project is to develop technologies to detect landslide-prone slopes up to a length of 100 to max. 200 m in real time and to take immediate organisational measures (e.g. slowing down or track closures) when a warning is received. Travel with comfort ÖBB-Personenverkehr AG is committed to offering its customers a pleasant travelling experience in both hot summer and cold winter. This includes, among other factors, a well-equipped fleet that enables a pleasant journey in comfortably air- conditioned trains and buses. In connection with numerous upgrades, more and more trains have been equipped with air conditioning over the years. By 2030, the proportion of air-conditioned trains in local and long-distance transport should be almost 100%. It is particularly important to look to the future in the procurement of new equipment. The applicable standards in the EU for air conditioning of rail vehicles already take into account increasing requirements and high performance due to more frequent increased outside temperatures in summer. Flood vulnerability of railway facilities In the interests of operational safety and line availability, plans are drawn up showing those sections where the railway lines in Austria are potentially affected by flooding. A technical concept of measures (feasibility study) is available for the specifically affected sections of line. This forms the basis for medium- and long-term planning projects. The flood impact plans also form an essential basis for the assessment of third-party flood protection projects that may have an impact on the railway. For example, the plans are used in negotiations for contribution payments from third parties. | MR77