has been a topic of discussion in every decade since its dismantlement. Today there are different plans in existence, which would expand the section between Horb and Hattingen at least partially. This expansion is part of both the federal traffic plan (Bundesverkehrswegeplan) as well as the general traffic plan (Generalverkehrsplan) of the state of Baden-Württemberg. In 2006 the Federal Transport Ministry published a comparative study, where benefits of the electrification of the Southern Railway, the electrification of the Buchloe–Lindau railway, and the expansion of the Gäubahn were studied. The latter finished this comparison clearly in third place, compared to the other two projects, which were given higher ratings in positive economic impact. The Interior Ministry of Baden-Württemberg underwrote a new study, which was to find new suggestions for an economically feasible plan for Gäubahn-expansion. This study of March 2007 does not envision an expansion of the complete section between Tuttlingen and Horb, but suggests twin-track expansion work for the pieces Horb-Neckarhausen, Rottweil–Spaichingen, and Rietheim–Wurmlingen, and to leave the rest of the section as is. The study suggested a cost of 135 million Euros for the project, and assigned it an economic impact rating of 1.3, compared to the 0.6 rating of the earlier comparative study. This expansion would reduce the trip time by 9 minutes, and would result in the synchronization of the ICE connections to Berlin and Dortmund. In addition, the trip times of the Ringzug between Rottweil and Tuttlingen would be reduced from 41 to 32 minutes, without eliminating any of the present stops. The municipalities on the Gäubahn, collectively associated in the Interessenverband Gäu-Neckar-Bodensee-Bahn, declared their willingness in March 2008 to provide financing of 360,000 Euros in advance for the planning phase of this expansion to twin tracks. The study allocated a total of 10 million Euros for general activities to increase the travel speed, and another 10 million Euros for the twin-track expansion in the section between Horb and Neckarhausen, with a planned start to construction in 2012 or 2013. The timely expansion of the rest of the sections seems to be much less realistic in light of the expense of the Stuttgart 21 project. Stuttgart 21 The project Stuttgart 21 aims to eliminate the tunnel-rich and steep section of the Gäu line in the center of Stuttgart. The plans see trains on the line taking a new route, on new tracks, from Stuttgart Hbf in