LVB cleans tram network after heat damage – Line 1 running again

According to the LVB, tram service had to be completely shut down. More than 30 cars had to be swapped due to malfunctions or taken to the workshop on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Overall, 300 kilometers of track network and around 60 stuck railcars had to be cleared, the company further announced.

On Monday evening, a first section of line 1 was able to resume operations, as the LVB announced. Before a full resumption of tram service, however, a test operation with technical inspections and trial runs still had to be completed. The company stated: "Die LVB setzen alles daran, den Straßenbahnbetrieb schnellstmöglich wieder verlässlich aufnehmen zu können."

Cleanup work running at full speed

The heat damage has significantly affected the infrastructure of the Leipzig tram network. The joint sealant between rails and switches had softened during the extreme temperatures and subsequently hardened, so that it now has to be removed mechanically. According to the LVB, the cleaning is being carried out both manually and with special equipment.

The cleanup work already began on Saturday evening with a shift operation running around the clock. Employees scraped the joint sealant out of switches and tracks and cleaned the vehicles so that they are operational again. The LVB emphasized that passenger safety is the top priority and that operations would only be fully resumed once all technical requirements are met.

The current weather situation with temperatures of up to 40 degrees in Saxony had triggered the heat damage. With interior temperatures of over 45 degrees, safe passenger transport with the affected vehicles was no longer possible, the transport company said. The decision to completely shut down tram service was therefore a precautionary measure.

Significance for local transport in Leipzig

The Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe is the city's municipal transport company and operates one of the largest tram networks in Germany. With the gradual resumption of service on line 1, the LVB wants to show that the cleaning process is progressing and that regular operations are being gradually restored.

For passengers, the partial resumption of line 1 means a first tangible improvement compared to the complete failure. Nevertheless, commuters must continue to expect restrictions until the entire network is cleaned and technically inspected. The LVB advised checking the current operating status before traveling.

The LVB is under considerable time pressure with the cleanup work. According to the company, dozens of cars are being worked on per day, but the sheer size of the 300-kilometer track network still requires intensive work. Only after all tests and trial runs are completed will full tram service in Leipzig resume.

Reporting on the incident was provided by Deutschlandfunk and MDR, among others. The heat wave had not only hit Leipzig, but all of Saxony, where the 40-degree mark was reached or exceeded in many places.