FRTC Frankfurt (Fire and Rescue Training Centre, Feuerwehr- und Rettungstrainingscenter) is a firefighting training facility at Eckenheim in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It is notable for having its own standard gauge rail system and mock-Frankfurt U-Bahn underground station.[1]

U5 underground train number 602, prior to being transferred to the training facility
FRTC Frankfurt
Industrial siding
U-Bahn station
House
Street scene
(indoors)

Following two years of construction work, the centre opened in 2013 with an "open house" event for the public on 15 June 2013.[2] As of 2019 the facility had been open for six years, and remained one of the most modern in Germany.[3]

The facility additionally offers direct three-year training as a fire fighter.[4]

Rail system

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In addition to the FRTC model U-Bahn station, the Fire Brigade also use a section of real underground tunnel at Frankfurt Hbf originally built for U-Bahn Line D[5]

The standard gauge rail system runs north‒south through the facility for 150 metres. The south end is laid as a tramway in a mock-residential area,[1] with a loading dock on the opposite side for industrial training.

In the middle section is a set of points between two S-bends.[6]

Straight on northwards from the set of points is an enclosed building containing the mock-underground station.[6] The U-Bahn station is equipped with real timetables.[1] The station platform signage permanently shows a line U10 departure to Frankfurt (Main) Hauptbahnhof, via Frankfurt Konstablerwache station and Römer [de].

To the west of the U-Bahn station building is an industrial siding setting and loading dock with overhead line electrification as used on main line rail transport in Germany.[6]

Rolling stock

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As of 2021 two piece of rolling stock were permanently located on the railway system, and can be shunted around depending on the required training scenarios.

A fifth generation Frankfurt U-Bahn U5 train Frankfurt U-Bahn U5 train [de] number 602 is based at the facility. The unit had been damaged during high-water flooding at the manufacturer and was cosmetically restored and stripped of useful parts before being sold to the Frankfurt fire-brigade.

The unit was delivered by VGF [de] to the Messe (Exhibition) U-Bahn station [de] for collection by the fire brigade. During a night-time rescue exercise the fire brigade towed train 602 along U-Bahn Line A to Eckenheim Depot [de]. Road transport was used for the last metres to the training facility.[7]

The second piece of permanent railway stock is a four-wheel railway tank wagon provided by the Deutsche Bahn. The wagon was delivered (free-of-charge) by the Frankfurt harbour railway (Frankfurt City Link Line) to the East Harbour for collection by the fire brigade.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Scheuermann, Fabian (2013-06-17). "Feuer in der falschen Stadt" [Fire in the Fake City]. Frankfurter Rundschau. Retrieved 2021-12-27. Sogar die Bahnschienen auf der Straße können befahren werden: Eine Stadtbahn der Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt kann wahlweise als Tram in die Halle oder als U-Bahn in eine Station gerollt werden, die auf dem Gelände ebenfalls neu errichtet wurde. Sie ist hübscher als so manch reale U-Bahn-Station im Stadtgebiet und wurde sogar mit einem aktuellen U-Bahn-Fahrplan bestückt.
  2. ^ "Eröffnung des Feuerwehr- und Rettungstrainingscenters" [Opening of the Fire and Rescue Training Centre] (in German). Feuerwehr Frankfurt. Archived from the original on 2013-06-06. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  3. ^ Klöpper, Michael (2019-10-28). "Die Highlights des FRTC der Feuerwehr Frankfurt" [The highlights of the FRTC of the Frankfurt Fire Brigade]. Feuerwehr-Magazine (in German). Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  4. ^ "Erste Generation Werkfeuerwehrleute beendet erfolgreich neuen Ausbildungsgang bei der Feuerwehr Frankfurt" [First generation of professional fire fighters graduate with the Frankfurt Fire Brigade]. Frankfurt Stadt-Magazine (in German). 2020-08-24. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  5. ^ Wong, Marcus (2013-08-07). "Frankfurt's mysterious 'Feuerwehr Übungstunnel' platform". Euro Gunzel. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
  6. ^ a b c "Vorgestellt: Das Feuerwehr & RettungsTrainingCenter". Museums-Depesche. No. 16. Feuerwehrgeschichts- und Museumsvereins Frankfurt am Main. August 2013. pp. 13, 15‒24. Retrieved 2021-12-27. durch das große Torin Richtung Norden und folgt dem in der Halle begin-nenden Gleis über die Freifläche des Geländes, kommt man an den Übungsbahnhof. Vor dem Bahn-hof teilt eine Weiche das Gleis. Nach links führt dann eine Gleisstrecke zu dem außen liegenden Übungs-gleis. Geradeaus führt das Gleis durch ein Tor direkt in die U-Bahnstation. …
  7. ^ "Im U-Bahnsimulator angekommen" [Arrived at the Underground simulator]. Frankfurt Fire Brigade. 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  8. ^ "Ein Bahnkesselwagen für das Feuerwehr- und Rettungstrainingscenter" [A tank wagon for the Fire and Rescue Training Centre]. Frankfurt Fire Brigade. 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2021-12-26.

Further reading

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50°08′46″N 8°41′17″E / 50.146°N 8.688°E / 50.146; 8.688 (FRTC: Fire and Rescue Training Centre Frankfurt)