Backnang, August 2026: State security authorities are investigating suspected railway sabotage following targeted cable-cutting. On Sunday afternoon, unidentified individuals gained access to a concrete shaft located between Backnang and Maubach, where they used tools to sever several cables. This resulted in train delays as well as internet and telephone service disruptions in the town of 38,000 residents.
Railway sabotage: Police say evidence points to deliberate damage
Police now consider accidental cable damage unlikely. Based on the nature of the damage and the evidence found, they believe the damage was deliberate. Consequently, the specialized unit for state security is investigating the case. Investigators also secured traces of tools and potential DNA evidence at the cable shaft.
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Deutsche Bahn also provided a key clue suggesting this was not a workplace accident. According to the company, no construction work was taking place on the affected section of the line. Furthermore, the shaft is located beneath a bridge in an area that is difficult to access; the perpetrators would therefore have had to deliberately make their way to this remote spot.
Severed cables trigger signaling system fault
Deutsche Bahn detected the damage via a technical error alert. The cable cuts triggered a “red signal” indication—a state in which the signaling system registers a track section or switch as occupied. Consequently, normal rail operations cannot continue in that area without further inspection.
Initial findings indicate that the act of sabotage caused data outages and delays. At the same time, internet and telephone connections in Backnang were disrupted. However, the exact number of trains and connections affected remains unknown. It was also not initially possible to quantify the total duration of the communication disruptions.
Rail operator repairs cables overnight – State security continues search for witnesses
To carry out repairs, the railway operator closed the affected section the following night. Technicians worked on the damaged lines between approximately midnight and 3:30 a.m., after which the line was reopened. According to the company, trains ran largely on schedule thereafter.
This incident affects a part of Germany’s infrastructure that is particularly difficult to protect. The rail network spans around 33,000 kilometers, leading the operator to deem comprehensive surveillance unfeasible. The company is also expanding technical security measures and redundant line structures. However, this latest act of sabotage against the railway demonstrates how the disruption of just a few cables can affect multiple services simultaneously.
Police are continuing to look for anyone who may have made observations in the area between Backnang and Maubach. Information regarding suspicious individuals, vehicles, or people posing as workers could prove vital to the investigation. As yet, however, neither a perpetrator nor a motive has been identified. Police have found no link to other acts of sabotage involving railway facilities.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: SWR (25.08.26) – ntv (25.08.26) – Polizeipräsidium Aalen (25.08.26) – Landtag Baden-Württemberg (25.08.26)