The unpopular plan

By 1955 the annual cost of running the "Gummibahn" was DM180,000.
Railway engineers calculated that if they built a huge dam of earth across the entire width of the valley then this would only cost DM2.30 compared to DM8.50 for a new viaduct.
 

This proposal was extremely unpopular even when it was modified to cover only the gap between the remaining arches.Finally, in 1960, after two years of acrimonious debate the Bundesbahn (German Railways) dropped their plan for the building of the earth dam.