Moving a 1,400-ton railway bridge: ÖBB’s precise Innsbruck shift

Moving a 1,400-ton railway bridge was the challenge ÖBB completed in Innsbruck at the end of last week, sliding the new Rauchmühle bridge almost 100 metres at ground level and positioning it above Hallerstraße with millimetre precision—without heavy-duty cranes, as reported by RailwayPro.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The work took place in Innsbruck, where the structure had been assembled over the preceding months near its final location to limit disruption in the dense urban area around the site. With auxiliary structures included, the Rauchmühle bridge reached a total weight of about 1,400 tons.

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Before the relocation, crews used special hydraulic presses to raise the structure more than five metres, preparing it for the key phase on Sunday morning: moving the bridge into its final alignment. For the move itself, ÖBB relied on self-propelled transport platforms (SPMTs), a method widely used in heavy industry when ground-level transport needs close control.

A total of 12 mobile units, with 56 axles and 112 individually controlled wheels, carried the Rauchmühle bridge forward at around 1–2 km/h. After the shift, the structure was rotated by approximately 90 degrees and then placed millimetrically on its final supports, in line with details shared in an ÖBB press release.

Why moving a 1,400-ton railway bridge was done without cranes?

ÖBB opted for a crane-free approach to reduce the risks linked to heavy lifting, keep tighter control over positioning, and limit the impact of the operation in a busy railway junction such as Innsbruck. The same method also helped contain disruption in the surrounding urban environment during a complex technical operation.

Work continues on the ÖBB bridge relocation in Innsbruck

Over the coming days, teams are scheduled to install bearings, complete final work on the supports, fit railway equipment, and prepare the structure for commissioning. Until that work is finished, rail traffic between Rum and Innsbruck Central Station remains suspended, with alternative bus transport in place. The blockade is scheduled to last until January 29, as reflected in ÖBB’s construction-site information for the Weststrecke in Tyrol.

Why the Rauchmühle bridge was replaced?

The previous railway bridge in the Rauchmühle area had been in service for more than 60 years and had reached the end of its technical service life. Around 270 trains crossed it every day, and heavy use combined with alpine weather conditions accelerated wear on the metal structure.

The new bridge, built in concrete, is intended to provide a significantly longer service life, reduce noise levels, and deliver a more stable and comfortable ride for trains.

A few figures put the project into perspective: the bridge weighs about 1,400 tons, was lifted to 5.13 metres for positioning, spans 29 metres and measures 11.25 metres in total width. The move used 12 SPMTs with 56 axles and 112 individually controlled wheels, and about 100 metres of railway track had to be dismantled and reinstalled.

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