An Italian train makes its way at the north entrance of the new Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world’s longest train tunnel, on the eve of its opening ceremony on May 31, 2016 in Erstfeld.
Fabrice Coffrini | Afp | Getty Images
Swiss rail authorities have announced that repairs to the Gotthard Base Tunnel, known as the world’s deepest traffic tunnel and the longest of its kind, will take several months after a recent freight service derailment caused more extensive damage than initially estimated.
Last Thursday’s derailment resulted in 16 cars jumping the tracks, with some freight cars still stuck in the 57.1 kilometer (35.5 mile) long tunnel, heavily damaged. Fortunately, there were no injuries. However, investigations have revealed that the damage in the west tube is significant. The railway operator, SBB, expects the replacement of damaged railway parts to require several months.
The current estimation is that both tunnel tubes will be partially available for rail traffic from the beginning of next year. The undamaged east tunnel tube is anticipated to resume freight traffic on August 23. This means that rail passengers traveling between northern and southern Switzerland will have to take an alternative, more scenic route for the next few months.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel, a high-speed railway route through the Swiss Alps, is a remarkable engineering achievement. The project, completed after 17 years and costing an estimated $12 billion, opened with great fanfare in 2016.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel, hailed as a “huge achievement,” is a vital transportation pathway for goods and cargo. It was constructed to enhance local transport capacity through the Alpine barrier, alleviate road traffic, and reduce air pollution.
SBB CEO Vincent Ducrot expressed his regret over the accident and assured the public that the teams involved are working diligently to restore safe rail traffic through the Gotthard Base Tunnel as quickly as possible. He acknowledged the inconvenience caused to rail passengers and freight customers and apologized for the disruption.
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