The railway network in Switzerland is the backbone and the most significant cost factor of the country's transportation infrastructure. Its burden from the steadily increasing traffic is rising relentlessly. This means more maintenance and correspondingly rising costs. These costs either fall on the state budget or on the passengers, leading to political controversies that are not always conducted with the necessary expertise due to a lack of information. Additionally, maintenance and renewal largely take place at night; the consequence is noise that robs residents of sleep and provokes headlines. Technology does not stand still and continuously brings forth innovations that serve to improve quality and contribute to lowering life cycle costs. This development is positive but technically demanding.