Historical development of ballastless track systems in Germany

Since its introduction in 1967 at Hirschaid station, the ballastless track system (BTS) in Germany has developed rapidly over the last 57 years. During this time, numerous types of structures and construction methods have been developed. Since the 1990s, they have also been widely used on high-speed rail (HSR) lines in Germany. Currently, the demand for both the construction of new HSR lines and the maintenance of existing HSR lines with BTS continues to grow. Therefore, it is essential to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the BTSs within the HSR network. This study is carried out using existing data from Deutsche Bahn (German Railway) and focuses on the historical development of German BTSs. First, the motivation and state of the art of BTSs in Germany are presented. Second, the different types of BTSs are summarized and systematically categorized. Subsequently, the development of different types of ballastless track systems based on specific parameters such as construction composition, year of construction, kilometers built in the German rail network, construction height, sleeper and fastening types is analyzed and compared. Finally, some important historical developments are summarized and future prospects are discussed. • Detailed historical development of ballastless track systems in Germany. • Systematic classification and analysis of ballastless track systems in the German high-speed railway network. • Investigation of structural details and advancements of ballastless track systems within the German high-speed railway network.