After the train accident in Gotthard: this is how the Zug-based Radbruch company explains itself

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The Swiss Safety Investigation Board (Sust) presented its interim report on the railway accident that occurred in the Gotthard Base Tunnel on 10 August 2023. Accordingly, a piece of the wheel disc on the front axle of the 11th car broke off. This led to the axle breaking and the derailment of cars 11 to 26 after a series of events.

An important question is: Who is ultimately responsible for the accident and the resulting damage? Sust’s interim report does not specifically address this issue.

Further research is needed

The broken wheel comes from a car produced by the Swedish company Transwaggon AB, a subsidiary of Zug-based Transwaggon AG. The company specializes in the production and rental of railway freight wagons. It is equally owned by the Hamburg wagon rental company VTG GmbH, which is owned by the founding family around current CEO Per-Anders Benthin, and Waggonconsult AG in Zug.

Transwaggon Group does not answer Blick’s detailed questions but has issued an official statement about Sust’s interim report. Accordingly, Sust welcomes his analysis. Corrected “inaccurate information about the accident”; for example, the 11th car damaged its safety gate, which according to Sust was not the case. However, it was understood that the wheel of wagon number 11 was broken and the train coming from wagon 14 came to the diversion path as a result of the break and hit the 100-ton safety gate. Cars 11, 12, 13 and 14 belong to Transwaggon.

However, the Transwaggon company states: “The fact that it was not the derailed carriage itself that changed direction with a switch, but that this occurred only three carriages later, contradicts industry experience.” Only in its final report can Sust provide a full explanation of the course of the accident and its causes. Therefore, more comprehensive studies are needed.

Egg dance among the participants

SBB also does not respond to detailed questions and refers to a written explanation. He welcomes the measures suggested by Sust to the Federal Transport Agency to improve safety. Additionally, as a precaution, SBB Cargo does not have any wagons with the affected wheel type.

To put it simply: both companies are moving as far away from the issue of liability as possible. After all, the damage is worth millions.

Transwaggon points out that there is a “triangle of responsibility” in the freight rail system. These include infrastructure managers, railway companies (i.e. freight railways) and wagon wardens (to which Transwaggon belongs).

Only with the final report will it be clear whether the actors in the responsibility triangle have adequately fulfilled their obligations.

Source :Blick