Freight train derailment in Gotthard Base tunnel

[Alfie1014]

Thankfully doesn’t sound too serious with the line reopening later today, traffic diverted over the original route. https://euro.dayfr.com/local/649899.html

 

[Beebman]

Reopening not expected to be until August 16th - some photos of the mess in the tunnel in this report from German-language Swiss newspaper 'Blick':

https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/stoeru...-zug-blockiert-gotthardtunnel-id18828351.html

Electronic translation from an article by SRF TV (a better report but without photos):

https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/gue...basistunnel-bleibt-bis-zum-16-august-gesperrt

A freight train derailed in the Gotthard base tunnel in the afternoon.
According to the SBB, the base tunnel will therefore remain closed until midnight on next Wednesday, August 16th.
Until then, passenger trains between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino will be diverted via the Gotthard panorama route.
This extends travel times on the north-south axis by around an hour. According to the SBB, train cancellations are also possible. Due to the diversions over the mountain route, the return holiday traffic and the Street Parade taking place at the weekend, there will be heavily occupied trains, the SBB continues to write. Standing room is to be expected.

According to an SBB media spokeswoman, a freight car derailed at the multifunction point in Faido. The multifunction station is one of two emergency stops that the tunnel has. The trains can also switch from one tunnel tube to the other there. In addition, the multifunction stations contain systems for the operation and maintenance of the tunnel.

According to the SBB, what led to the derailment of the car in the tunnel is just as unknown as the exact extent of the damage. Experts will now examine the damage and check for possible damage to the roadway and catenary. The Swiss Safety Investigation Center (Sust) had been summoned. There will be more information at a media conference in Bellinzona on Friday.

"The damage is considerable," said SBB spokeswoman Roberta Trevisan in the evening to the daily news of Italian-speaking Switzerland RSI. However, it is still too early to make an assessment and talk about possible causes. As far as passenger transport is concerned, the spokeswoman recommends travelers to find out more before driving through the Gotthard.

The Ticino canton police announced in the early evening that several wagons had derailed, some of which contained dangerous goods. However, these had not expired and would not have posed any danger. Nobody was injured. Significant damage was caused to rolling stock and infrastructure.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I was caught up in this as today was my long-planned trip over the Gotthard line (postponed from 2020). Day trip from Zurich to Bellinzona (both places worth a visit for non- railway reasons as well) out through the base tunnel and back over the "panoramic" route. Derailment must have happened whilst we were in Bellinzona (between 1130 and 1400) as the outward journey was uneventful.
Return train (one of those scheduled to go via the old route) ran on time but no connection at Arth Goldau for Zurich (as that train should have gone through the base tunnel) so we had to go via Lucerne.
It seems both directions through the base tunnel are closed despite it being twin bore (and no single line working through one bore). The news report suggests it hapoened at the "Faido multifunction station" which is an emergency evacuation point and, perhaps significantly, the location of a crossover - this may explain why single line working is not possible)

 

[Fragezeichnen]

The article says the derailment happenned at one of the crossover points, however unlike the channel tunnel there are connecting tunnels instead of cavern with a diamond crossing in it.
It also says some of the derailed wagons contained dangerous substances. Although they have not detected any leakage, I guess that could also be a factor.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The article says the derailment happenned at one of the crossover points, however unlike the channel tunnel there are connecting tunnels instead of cavern with a diamond crossing in it.
It also says some of the derailed wagons contained dangerous substances. Although they have not detected any leakage, I guess that could also be a factor.

The presence of crossover tunnels may be significant as there will be points there.
The second tunnel may be closed because it is needed for access by recovery teams.
(Updated - local press reports say it happened to a northbound train about 1245 CET)

 

[zuriblue]

According to the Tages Anzeiger (Zürich newspaper) the derailment took place at 100 Km/h and there is severe damage.

Unfall im Basistunnel – Güterzug im Gotthard bei Tempo 100 entgleist | SBB rätselt über Ursache | Das kommt jetzt auf Reisende zu

Nach dem Unfall haben die SBB informiert. Der Schaden ist gross. In den kommenden Tagen wird es auf der Nord-Süd-Achse sehr eng. Wir berichten laufend.

www.tagesanzeiger.ch

Link is to the Tages Anzeiger with photos. Text is in German.

What happened?

Shortly after 12.45 p.m. on Thursday, a northbound freight train derailed at the Faido multifunction station in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Significant damage was caused to rolling stock and infrastructure. "Enormous forces were released during the derailment," says SBB spokesman Rudolf Büchi at a media briefing on Friday in Bellinzona. “The freight train with 32 wagons was traveling at around 100 km/h – 23 wagons derailed in the incident.”

The train transported dangerous goods in several wagons. According to the Ticino cantonal police, however, these did not leak and did not pose a danger. Nobody was injured.

The multifunction point Faido is one of two emergency stops that the 57-kilometer tunnel has. The trains can also switch from one tunnel tube to the other there. In addition, the multifunction stations contain systems for the operation and maintenance of the tunnel.

How long will the tunnel remain closed?


The SBB announced that the Gotthard base tunnel would remain closed until at least midnight on Wednesday, August 16. Travelers are advised to inform themselves before driving through the Gotthard.


According to the SBB, freight traffic is also affected by the closure. Freight trains will run over the panoramic routes. However, part of the freight traffic has to switch to the roads.


"Despite the restrictions, we can transport goods and passengers via the north-south axis," says media spokesman Rudolf Büchi. "However, it is currently unclear when full operation through the tunnel can be resumed."

What are the consequences of the lockdown for travelers from the south?


According to the SBB, passenger trains between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino will be diverted in both directions via the Gotthard mountain route. However, this comes with severe limitations. As Büchi explains, no double-decker wagons can run over the mountain route. Also, the SBB could not use replacement trains. “Therefore, around a third fewer seats will be offered on the route at the weekend,” says Büchi. In addition, the travel times would be extended by around an hour.


"We know that due to the return holiday traffic and the street parade taking place at the weekend, the trains will be heavily occupied," says Büchi. "The SBB therefore advise against spontaneous trips via the Gotthard route."

How bad is the damage in the tunnel?​

"The damage is considerable," said SBB spokesman Rudolf Büchi. Apparently, the track system and a lane change gate in the tunnel were badly damaged when the freight train derailed. "The lane change gate is a security-relevant device for separating the two tunnel tubes," explains Büchi. «This is a custom-made product and cannot simply be bought on the market.» As soon as the gate is repaired, at least one tube can be opened again.
What is unclear so far?

According to the SBB, the cause of the derailment is still unclear. There is a station in front of the base tunnel that checks incoming trains for damage. "No abnormalities were found on the derailed freight train when it entered," says Büchi. “However, the cause of the derailment must have been the freight train. There are practically no train routes in Switzerland that are so intensively maintained and controlled as in the base tunnel. So the track was fine."

 

[Beebman]

TV channel SRF has just published an updated report:

https://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/ent...ist-das-eingetreten-was-wir-nie-gehofft-haben

It includes 3 photos - one seems to show the damaged gate in the cross tunnel, another one shows bottles and cans strewn for some distance in a main tunnel, a third shows the wheels of a wagon on the tunnel track base with a broken rail. There's also a short video (in German) with an SBB spokesperson showing the position of the gate on a diagram.

Electronic translation of the article from German:

SBB: "What we never hoped for has happened"
A freight train derailed in the Gotthard Base Tunnel yesterday. Today the SBB informed in Bellinzona.

Updated today at 2:14 p.m

This afternoon, at the press conference in Bellinzona, SBB reported on the incident in the Gotthard base tunnel. Apparently, the track system and a lane change gate in the tunnel were severely damaged when the freight train derailed. This safety-related facility is needed to separate the two tunnel tubes. Safety has top priority, which is why the second tube cannot be used for passenger or freight traffic.

Enormous forces were released in the derailment. The freight train with 33 cars was traveling at around 100 kilometers per hour, said Rudolf Büchi. 23 of the 33 cars derailed in the accident.

There are effects for travelers between north and south, for freight transport companies and the population in Ticino. This would have to accept longer travel times. With the temporary closure of the base tunnel, rail capacities at the Gotthard have been reduced by around a third.

The accident happened at the worst possible time, Büchi said. With the end of the holidays there is a lot of holiday traffic. In addition, the Street Parade will take place in Zurich at the weekend, with around a million people expected. Two extra trains from Ticino were planned for the Street Parade. According to Büchi, SBB is trying to guarantee this. Other extra trains were cancelled.

According to the circumstances, the engine driver is doing well, said Isabelle Betschart Kühne, member of the management board and head of production at SBB Cargo. He will be accompanied.

A problem with the train is suspected to be the cause. The track systems and the switches in the tunnel were fine, said Büchi. Due to the damage pattern, it must have been the rolling stock, so there was no danger for passenger trains.

There is probably no system in Switzerland that is maintained as intensively as the Gotthard tunnel, which has been in operation for eight years. There are two maintenance windows a week for checks and work. According to Büchi, no problems were found with the wheels or the load during the automatic check of the train in Claro TI.

Otherwise, the control system would have prevented the train from entering the tunnel. The alarm system in the tunnel did not work when the train passed through. "We don't know more at the moment." It won't be easy to find out why. There must have been a problem with the freight train with around 30 cars, said Büchi. The front part of the train in the tunnel has therefore not yet been released for salvage by the investigating authorities.

An exact statement on the cause and extent of damage cannot be made at this time. The Swiss Safety Investigation Board and the cantonal investigation authorities investigated the accident.

The closure of the base tunnel, which connects Bodio TI with Erstfeld UR, will last at least until next Wednesday, August 16, according to the SBB. A little earlier, namely from Tuesday, freight trains should be able to use the base tunnel again.

Temporarily, passenger trains will be routed as far as possible along the Gotthard panorama route. SBB advises against spontaneous trips to Ticino until further notice.

 

[Re 4/4]

The latest from Swiss media is that a broken wheel is now the suspected cause. (To be precise, Radscheibe = literally wheel disc, I think wheel rim is the correct English term.)

 

[MarkyT]

The latest from Swiss media is that a broken wheel is now the suspected cause. (To be precise, Radscheibe = literally wheel disc, I think wheel rim is the correct English term.)

If the axle had become derailed beforehand it may have been running along the concrete roadbed undetected for a while. The track is sunk in a trough with ledges either side that effectively provides continuous derailment containment along the plain line sections. Once the facing turnout to the crossover tunnel was encountered however, if the derailed wheel was outside the running rail on the turnout side that could have diverted the wagon in question towards the divergence and then following vehicles might also be diverted that way.

 

[Re 4/4]

I think that's the assumption, yes - based on the fact that the track shows signs of damage for a couple of km before the crossover.

Another problem is that the door across the crossover (which a wagon demolished) is safety critical for fire containment, so until it is replaced or repaired, no passenger trains at least can go through the tunnel even in the other bore.

 

[MarcVD]

Interruption of traffic in the base tunnel is now "for an undetermined length of time". In any case it won't resume tomorrow as initially announced. https://www.rts.ch/info/suisse/1424...lement-ferme-pour-une-duree-indeterminee.html

 

[zuriblue]

The SBB are saying they expect reopening will not be until Jan 2024

https://news.sbb.ch/artikel/124073/e

Detailed investigations revealed that the extent of the damage was significantly greater than initially estimated. A total of around 8 kilometers of tracks and 20,000 concrete sleepers have to be replaced. The track bed is badly damaged in the area of the Faido lane change. It will take several months for all damaged parts of the railway system to be replaced. SBB is currently assuming that both tunnel tubes will probably be available again for rail traffic to a limited extent at the beginning of 2024.

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

Reopening *for passenger service*. Freight trains will resume on 23 August with single track operation, but passenger trains will be rerouted via the old line until early 2024.

 

[Re 4/4]

And since double-deck passenger trains would be out of gauge on the old line, passenger capacity will be reduced until further notice, as well as taking 1-2h longer than normally timetabled.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would love to get a Giruno over the classic line, will have to look to plan a trip!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Looks like I was very lucky - I must have been on the last southbound train through the tunnel

 

[MCR247]

And since double-deck passenger trains would be out of gauge on the old line, passenger capacity will be reduced until further notice, as well as taking 1-2h longer than normally timetabled.

Which services are operated by double deck trains?

 

[norbitonflyer]

Which services are operated by double deck trains?

None in normal use, I think, but double deckers would fit in the base tunnel and pictures of the opening ceremony show one. Had double deckers been able to be accommodated on the "panorama" route, their use could have helped with the capacity issues during the closure.

 

[30907]

Which services are operated by double deck trains?

Some of the internal ICs are so booked according to
https://www.reisezuege.ch/

 

[306024]

https://news.sbb.ch/artikel/124217/...vQ0mvD6OG4Imb1pGU2dMlzgjkecDQ50PySXlRtHjI5wqw

Link to SBB website for official information and FAQs. Too big to quote from.

 

[Bletchleyite]

https://news.sbb.ch/artikel/124217/...vQ0mvD6OG4Imb1pGU2dMlzgjkecDQ50PySXlRtHjI5wqw

Link to SBB website for official information and FAQs. Too big to quote from.

That really is excellent. A lot UK TOCs can learn from how clear that is.

Only things I'd argue with:
1. That tickets on cancelled trains/missed connections aren't valid on the next one by default without consulting staff
2. That if your train is cancelled you can't take an earlier one, only a later one.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It doesn't look as though Zurich-Italy ECs are being sent via the Lötschberg route instead - maybe there is no capacity.

 

[dm1]

That really is excellent. A lot UK TOCs can learn from how clear that is.

Only things I'd argue with:
1. That tickets on cancelled trains/missed connections aren't valid on the next one by default without consulting staff
2. That if your train is cancelled you can't take an earlier one, only a later one.

In practice you're unlikely to have any issues, if you contact staff and ask. Your first point is probably because the EC trains have compulsory reservations within Italy. SBB can't automatically make that change on their own. On the regional trains there is no such problem.

It doesn't look as though Zurich-Italy ECs are being sent via the Lötschberg route instead - maybe there is no capacity.

The Lötschberg base tunnel is at capacity under normal circumstances, and the priority now is freight, as it mostly cannot go over the top. They are trying to scrape together an extra freight path per hour through the Lötschberg but even that is a challenge.

 

[thaitransit]

Thankfully doesn’t sound too serious with the line reopening later today, traffic diverted over the original route. https://euro.dayfr.com/local/649899.html

Reopening *for passenger service*. Freight trains will resume on 23 August with single track operation, but passenger trains will be rerouted via the old line until early 2024.

They are so lucky to still have maintained the old line!

Otherwise it would have been extremely slow bus replacement for passengers easily could have added 12 hours to passenger journeys and very inconvenient unloading of freight to "road trains" to bypass the tunnel. I would expect the mountain roads to be extremely narrow and steep. It would take all day to transfer the freight and road accidents would be a regular occurrence on the high mountain pass. Especially with thousands of trucks and buses on roads simply not designed for such heavy traffic. You would be lucky to average 10kph on these roads Especially uphill!

 

[DanielB]

I would expect the mountain roads to be extremely narrow and steep. It would take all day to transfer the freight and road accidents would be a regular occurrence on the high mountain pass. Especially with thousands of trucks and buses on roads simply not designed for such heavy traffic. You would be lucky to average 10kph on these roads Especially uphill!

There's a highway over the Gothard pass parallel to the old panoramic railway. So it wouldn't have been that bad.

Besides that the old line is mostly used for diverting passengers as freight trains cannot cope with the slopes and tight curves used to gain height. For an impression: took this photo on the panoramic route in July this year...

 

[thaitransit]

There's a highway over the Gothard pass parallel to the old panoramic railway. So it wouldn't have been that bad.

Besides that the old line is mostly used for diverting passengers as freight trains cannot cope with the slopes and tight curves used to gain height. For an impression: took this photo on the panoramic route in July this year...

View attachment 141091

Wow. That highway is impressive must have cost tens of billions $ to build. I assume it would be a toll way.

I have only ever experienced horrible narrow single lane highways in mountainous areas. The kind that often requires trucks to stop and reverse back and try multiple times to just get through the hairpin bends!

 

[bahnause]

Some pictures from inside of the tunnel:

Media Center SBB

Media Center.
Für die Verwendung von Downloads ist der Copyright-Hinweis zu beachten.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Wow. That highway is impressive must have cost tens of billions $ to build. I assume it would be a toll way.

I have only ever experienced horrible narrow single lane highways in mountainous areas. The kind that often requires trucks to stop and reverse back and try multiple times to just get through the hairpin bends!

Not quite as mountainous, but the old road through the Millau valley (before the viaduct of the same name was built) was pretty horrible at the height of summer. At least the views were nice, but nothing compared to the Alpine passes in Switzerland.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some longer-distance freight, originating from Frankfurt or further north, could divert via Munich and the Brenner route to Italy, again if there is capacity.

 

[norbitonflyer]

There's a highway over the Gothard pass parallel to the old panoramic railway. So it wouldn't have been that bad.

Besides that the old line is mostly used for diverting passengers as freight trains cannot cope with the slopes and tight curves used to gain height. For an impression: took this photo on the panoramic route in July this year...

View attachment 141091

There is a road tunnel under the Gotthard Pass, close to the old Gotthard rail tunnel. Opened in 1980, it was at the time the longest road tunnel in the world. Although the apporoaches are dual carriageway, the tunnel itself is only one lane each way. Queues for it can be very long, as I saw when I went over the Gotthard line last week.

Some of the internal ICs are so booked according to
https://www.reisezuege.ch/

Certainly Switzerland has double deckers - I saw many when i visited Zurich (trains to Lucerne, Konstanz, (and the TGV Lyrias I took from and to Paris). But I didn't see any on the Gotthard line to Chiasso.