Basis Tunnel Closed All Day After Derailment of Freight Train
Published: Thursday, Aug 10th 2023, 17:40
Updated At: Friday, Oct 13th 2023, 14:12
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On Thursday afternoon, a freight train derailed in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Traffic will remain interrupted at least until the end of service. Some of the wagons contained hazardous materials, but none of them leaked. No one was injured, but the damage is likely to be high. Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) announced that passenger trains between the German-speaking and Ticino regions will be diverted over the Gotthard mountain route if possible, which will extend journey times by about an hour. Cancellations are also possible according to SBB. An estimate of how long the interruption will last can only be made once the extent of the damage is known. Experts are examining the damage site and checking for possible damage to the track and overhead lines. The Swiss Safety Investigation Board (SUST) has been called in. It is known that several wagons of a freight train heading north derailed at the Faido multi-function station. In the early evening, the Ticino cantonal police announced that several wagons had derailed, some of which contained hazardous materials. However, these did not leak and posed no danger. No one was injured. Significant damage has been done to the rolling stock and infrastructure.nnnnnnnn
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