Item: The avalanche warning service of Austrian Railways - development of an innovative safety concept
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Title: The avalanche warning service of Austrian Railways - development of an innovative safety concept
Proceedings: International Snow Science Workshop Proceedings 2018, Innsbruck, Austria
Authors:
- Christian Rachoy [ Austrian Federal Railways, Villach, Austria ]
- Stefan Ortner [ Lo.La Peak Solutions GmbH, Trins, Austria ]
Date: 2018-10-07
Abstract: Natural phenomenon like avalanches, torrents, floods or rock falls have impacts on the safety and operational abilities of railway lines. According to the railway act the Austrian Railways Infrastructure Plc. (OEBB) is the operating company of the railway lines and thus responsible for all safety aspects on the route network of 5000 km in Austria. More than 1000 avalanche zones touch the railway net. That is why avalanche safety represents a particular challenge. The Avalanche Warning Service of OEBB is responsible for assessing the avalanche risk in specified railway sections of the Austrian railway network and for recommending preventive measures. This unit is composed of 65 employees and organised in 13 avalanche committees. The avalanche experts in the committees are employed full-time and are responsible for the standardised evaluation and documentation of the avalanche situation. The experts assess the avalanche risk according to a special safety concept. This article illustrates the innovative development of a new methodology in decision making and documenting. The knowledge of the area and the experience of the experts in the avalanche committees play a crucial role in evaluating the avalanche danger. Whereas decision making has been an analogue process so far, the base of our new development is a digital system which structures and simplifies the process of analysis, evaluation, documentation, and communication. In collaboration with selected avalanche committees the new safety concept of the Avalanche Warning Service of OEBB was tested and evaluated continually throughout last winter. The aim is to use this method for all Austrian Railways avalanche committees next winter and sustainably implement it into the company.
Object ID: ISSW2018_O03.10.pdf
Language of Article: English
Presenter(s):
Keywords:
Page Number(s): 251-255
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