ÖBB Replaces Innsbruck Bridge: 1,400-Ton Move Complete

ÖBB expertly relocated the 1,400-ton Rauchmühle railway bridge in Innsbruck using SPMTs, minimizing disruption and setting a new standard for urban infrastructure renewal.

January 21, 2026 9:36 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

ÖBB replaced a critical railway bridge in Innsbruck by pre-building it nearby and moving the 1,400-ton structure into place.
The relocation was executed using 12 Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs) with 56 axles, eliminating the need for heavy-duty cranes.
This “build-aside” method demonstrates a low-disruption strategy for renewing infrastructure on high-traffic urban rail corridors.

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA – Austria’s state-owned railway company, ÖBB, has completed the complex relocation of the new 1,400-ton Rauchmühle bridge, moving the structure nearly 100 meters and rotating it into its final position over Hallerstraße. The operation utilized self-propelled platforms to replace a 60-year-old bridge that handled approximately 270 trains daily, with rail traffic scheduled to resume on January 29.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project	Rauchmühle Railway Bridge Replacement
Total Relocated Weight	1,400 tons (including auxiliary structures)
Key Stakeholders	ÖBB (Österreichische Bundesbahnen)
Relocation Technology	12 Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs)
Bridge Span / Width	29 meters / 11.25 meters
Service Disruption Period	Suspended until January 29

Operational & Technical Details

The new concrete bridge was constructed adjacent to its final position to minimize impact on the busy rail junction. Before the move, the entire 1,400-ton assembly was raised 5.13 meters using hydraulic presses. The ground-level transport was conducted by a fleet of 12 SPMT units, equipped with 56 axles and 112 individually controlled wheels.

The structure was moved at a controlled speed of 1–2 km/h. The operation involved a 90-degree rotation before the bridge was placed with millimeter precision onto its final supports. This crane-less method was deemed optimal for the dense urban site. The project also required the dismantling and reinstallation of 100 meters of railway track. The previous steel bridge was decommissioned after 60 years of service, its structural integrity compromised by heavy traffic and alpine weather conditions.

Market Impact Analysis

ÖBB’s successful execution of the Innsbruck bridge replacement serves as a critical case study for European network operators. The “build-aside” and “move-in-place” technique is a strategically vital approach for infrastructure renewal on high-density corridors where long-term service shutdowns are economically unfeasible. By avoiding traditional crane-based construction, this method significantly reduces disruption to both rail and surrounding road traffic. This project reinforces the viability of modular transport solutions for complex engineering tasks in constrained urban environments, offering a template for replacing aging assets across the continent’s rail networks with greater efficiency and lower public inconvenience.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What was the primary goal of this project?

The project’s goal was to replace a 60-year-old railway bridge that had reached the end of its technical service life on a line handling 270 trains per day, using a method that minimized traffic disruption.

When is rail service expected to resume?

The rail blockade on the section between Rum and Innsbruck Central Station is scheduled to end on January 29, at which point normal train traffic is expected to resume.