How can intermodal freight transport in Germany contribute to achieving the EU's climate targets? In search of answers, our students traveled to the Mainz-Bischofsheim shunting yard and experienced one of the oldest shunting yards in Germany up close as part of our “Logistics Live!” excursion.

The facility, which was built in 1905, is one of the few remaining manually controlled shunting yards in Germany and remains a hub for single wagon and combined road/rail freight transport to this day.

Together with Prof. Elbert, Paul Bossong and Yuerui Tang, the 24 students gained exciting insights into the traditional side of rail transport, which is still active today. Leo Glaubetz, Head of Support Functions at DB Cargo's Bischofsheim site, guided the group through the eventful history and current operations of the shunting yard.

The visitors were then entered the world of maintenance, where old diesel locomotives receive care and maintenance. These old locomotives, robust and durable, are characterized by their excellent torque, which makes them ideal for shunting, where speed is not a priority. In the workshop, the students had the opportunity to study these robust veterans of the rail industry in more detail.

With practical excursions like this one, we want to show that not only research but also teaching drives the reality of the logistics sector. We are proud to provide our students with such experiences and are already looking forward to the next one!