European Railroad Discussion > Switzerland: Severe Accident on RhB Network

According to latest Finnish news it would appear that RHB train has run into landslide with several coaches ended up to ravine.

Can anyone find more information on this?

Picture of RhB by Nick.

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Looks like it is indeed the same train as in the Nick's picture:

http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/graubuenden/erdrutsch-erfasst-rhaetische-bahn-bei-tiefencastel-zug-waggons-haengen-ueber-dem-abgrund-id3050642.html

5 seriously injured, 2 slightly injured thankfully no fatalities.

The landslide happened near Tiefencastle between 2 tunnels.

The area had suffered intense rainfall in the previous 12 hours, betwen 50 and 60 litres per square metre.

Most of the passengers walked out, a couple (up to 5) were airlifted out by the Rega mountain rescue/air ambulance service.

Services on the St Moritz line betwen Thusis and Tiefencastel are suspended indefinately.

http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/panorama/vermischtes/Fuenf-Schwerverletzte-bei-Zugunglueck-in-Graubuenden/story/26901922

http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/help.exe/en?tpl=showmap_external

The picture was taken a bit further south east, on the spirals approaching the Albula Tunnel but it is the same locomotive. Reading what's on the BBC website it does sound bad.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/13/14 08:25 by 86235.

And looks like this kind of incidents always happen in Switzerland. Lots of demanding geography all around I suppose.

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McKey Wrote:
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> Looks like it is indeed the same train as in the
> Nick's picture:
>
> http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/graubuenden/erdru
> tsch-erfasst-rhaetische-bahn-bei-tiefencastel-zug-
> waggons-haengen-ueber-dem-abgrund-id3050642.html

Lots of pictures at your link.

Given that the locomotive appears to have minimal damage, and stayed more or less on the track, can we conclude that the slide hit the train and not vice versa?

More on BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28775998

march_hare Wrote:
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> Given that the locomotive appears to have minimal
> damage, and stayed more or less on the track, can
> we conclude that the slide hit the train and not
> vice versa?

Judging from the picture, the slide looks like it was an embankment failure triggered by the weight of the locomotive, which managed to get over the failure spot.

Ray

That is a stealthy thing to occur, happens here in the Nordic occasionally in springs too. It is a nuisance to older lines (well over 100 years old with limited rebuilding) with no concrete or steel pillars to keep the track bed in place on slopes of clay. Of course here the relative flat lands in comparison to Swiss mountains limit the damages effectively.

Any word when the line will be open again? I wonder if the RhB has decided to do the immediate fixes and issue speed limit on one of their main lines or if this is like the landslide on Gotthard pass a couple of years ago when it took several weeks to get the mountain stabilized and trains running again.

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> march_hare Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Given that the locomotive appears to have
> minimal
> > damage, and stayed more or less on the track,
> can
> > we conclude that the slide hit the train and
> not
> > vice versa?
>
> Judging from the picture, the slide looks like it
> was an embankment failure triggered by the weight
> of the locomotive, which managed to get over the
> failure spot.
>
> Ray

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Here is the latest story, interview video and lots of big pictures (open the gallery half down the page). Looks like this is a "minor" landslide, so the route will probably be in use soon again.

http://www.20min.ch/schweiz/news/story/-Ich-dachte--es-ist-vorbei---es-war-schrecklich--26313545#

Well, they really don't have to hurry the repair, thanks to the alternate routes available to them. Unlike, say, an Amtrak or Norfolk Southern, which would simply roll over and play dead or declare force majeure, the RhB is rerouting trains and providing alternate service -- but service, since they are an arm of the "state"[ = canton ], is why they exist. Hence, the repair can be done properly, which is I suppose obvious since this is Switzerland.

Best, SZ

Yesterday they were saying that service would be restored in roughly two days' time, but as of this evening they are saying "until further notice". The line is currently shut down between Thusis and Tiefencastel with a bus bridge between Thusis and Bergün in place. Passengers travelling between Chur and Engadin are instructed to detour via the Vereina line (via Landquart). The Bernina and Glacier Express trains are also being diverted over this route (via the Vereina tunnel).

According to both the RHB and the SBB site the line is open again. That was quick.

Yes, looks like the little yellow excavator did very effective job.

I wonder where the next landslide to stop trains will be located...there is no stopping these from happening, is there. Fortunately no fatalities this time.