Freight trains have a systematic braking problem
On 10 August 2023 a freight train was derailed in the Gotthard tunnel (Switzerland). The accident was caused by a broken wagon wheel. As a result, the tunnel was closed for a year, which in turn caused losses of around CHF 150 million.
Now Switzerland’s national television station has revealed that the derailment wasn’t due to a chain of unfortunate circumstances, as was previously assumed. Rather, the problem lies in the braking system that’s used by the vast majority of freight wagons. The wheel disc fracture in the Gotthard tunnel wasn’t due to inadequate maintenance of the wheelsets, but can rather be traced back to a systematic problem.
Such an accident can therefore occur again at any time, the television station said, quoting from a confidential draught of the final report of Switzerland’s transportation safety investigation board. (ben)