SBB Slams German Rail Over Problematic Brake Shoes Involved in Swiss Derailment
Critics in Switzerland voice concerns over the same train braking system employed by Deutsche Bahn
Hold onto your seats, folks! The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) are raising eyebrows after highlighting the type of brakes used on German Rail freight trains, following a derailment in a Swiss tunnel. Here's the scoop!
After the derailment of a freight train in a Swiss tunnel, the SBB isn't just upset about the delays, but also the type of brakes used—LL brakes, also found on German Rail freights. The SBB wants better maintenance, fearing these types of brakes may cause problems across Europe if not managed properly.
The issue? The SBB is basing their concerns on a report by the Safety Investigation Authority (Sust)—an investigation into the derailment in the Gotthard Tunnel back in 2023. According to the report, the accident was caused by a wheel breaking due to fatigue cracks from thermal overload. To avoid future disasters, the Sust recommends longer maintenance intervals, better testing methods, a study on composite brake shoes' impact on wheel health, and potential restrictions or bans on certain types of brakes.
Now, let's talk about those LL brakes. Most of Germany's freight wagons sport this "whisper brake" type—known as low friction, low noise brakes. German Rail spoke up in February and explained that wheel set deployment and maintenance rules have been fine-tuned in Europe to alleviate mechanical and thermal loads on the wheels, minimizing the risk of wheel damage. It's worth noting that the SBB doesn't use freight wagons with LL brakes.
Remember the derailment in August 2023 in the west tube of the Gotthard Tunnel? Well, no one was hurt, but removal of the wagons took months, and tracks had to be replaced. It wasn't until a year later that traffic was fully resumed.
Now, while the SBB isn't explicitly criticizing the LL brakes themselves, the derailment has drawn attention to materials and components used in railway operations, particularly those relating to the thermal load on the wheels. The focus now is on understanding the role of various brake components in maintaining wheel health and enhancing safety measures.
In a nutshell, the SBB and Sust are putting the spotlight on the need for increased maintenance and inspection of brake components to prevent any more wheels from going out of whack! Stay tuned for updates as this story develops. 🚂🚀💥🔧
Source: ntv.de, mwa/dpa
- German Rail
- Switzerland
- Railway Safety
- To ensure the safety of the entire European railway network, it might be beneficial for the community policy to consider vocational training programs focusing on the maintenance and testing of brake components, particularly those used in LL brakes.
- With the ongoing concerns about the role of brake components in wheel health and the recent derailment incident, the finance and transportation industries should consider investing in research and development of automated inspection systems to improve railway safety, especially in relation to automotive parts like brakes.
