DanielB
Established Member
At multiple railways in the Netherlands, badgers digging their sett underneath the railway tracks have disrupted train traffic.
As of the 13th of March 16.00 hrs train traffic between Workum and Stavoren was stopped as badgers had dug such a large sett underneath the tracks near Molkwerum, that stability of the railway was threathened.
Services on this line are bustituted until further notice and works are ongoing to move the badgers to an artificial sett nearby. Source: ProRail and ProRail.
The above situation had relatively minor effects as it happened on a rural line with low passenger numbers. Today however...
This afternoon at 13.00 hrs all train traffic between 's-Hertogenbosch and Boxtel, part of by far the most important and busy north-south corridor in the Netherlands, was stopped because of another badger sett.
The presence of this sett was already known and procedures for necessary repairs had already been started. However, after inspections an increased activity of the badgers was noticed immediately affecting track stability.
As a result this busy route is bustituted until at least March 28th and ways to increase capacity on the alternative route via Tilburg is investigated. Source: ProRail and NS.
Badgers are currently a protected species in the Netherlands resulting in complex procedures to remove the animals from railway embankments. ProRail now is having an urgent meeting with the ministry for infrastructure to simplify procedures.
As of the 13th of March 16.00 hrs train traffic between Workum and Stavoren was stopped as badgers had dug such a large sett underneath the tracks near Molkwerum, that stability of the railway was threathened.
Services on this line are bustituted until further notice and works are ongoing to move the badgers to an artificial sett nearby. Source: ProRail and ProRail.
The above situation had relatively minor effects as it happened on a rural line with low passenger numbers. Today however...
This afternoon at 13.00 hrs all train traffic between 's-Hertogenbosch and Boxtel, part of by far the most important and busy north-south corridor in the Netherlands, was stopped because of another badger sett.
The presence of this sett was already known and procedures for necessary repairs had already been started. However, after inspections an increased activity of the badgers was noticed immediately affecting track stability.
As a result this busy route is bustituted until at least March 28th and ways to increase capacity on the alternative route via Tilburg is investigated. Source: ProRail and NS.
Badgers are currently a protected species in the Netherlands resulting in complex procedures to remove the animals from railway embankments. ProRail now is having an urgent meeting with the ministry for infrastructure to simplify procedures.
