A broken wheel – and the Gotthard railway line becomes a bottleneck for a year: the west tube of the base tunnel was badly damaged by a derailed freight train in August. "Einstein" shows how the tunnel is being repaired and asks how such an accident can be prevented in the future. ???? Subscribe now to SRF Wissen on YouTube ???? / @srfwissen ⏰ A new episode of "Einstein" every Thursday at 5.30 p.m. More about the video –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Just seven years after its opening, the Gotthard Base Tunnel is once again a major construction site. The accident-damaged freight train caused major damage, particularly in the Faido multifunctional station. Unanswered questions about the accident On August 10, 2023, the train entered the tunnel at lunchtime. Around 10 kilometers into the tunnel, a piece of the wheel of a freight wagon broke off. Further parts come loose, the wheel axle hangs diagonally under the carriage and damages the roadway. The train is torn apart on the switch at the multi-function station. The rear part of the train crashes with full force into the track change gate to the east tube. According to the investigations to date, it is clear that the broken wheel is the cause. But what role did the switch play in the train being torn apart? Repairs are lengthy and expensive Clearing the accident site alone took several weeks. Since then, construction work has been going on in the tunnel again, in three shifts. "Einstein" shows why the repair is so complex and time-consuming. Another major challenge is coordinating the construction work with the maintenance work that is required at the same time. Safety in freight transport It is not the first time in freight transport that a broken wheel and derailment have led to a fatal accident. In such cases, the train driver only notices that something is wrong when it is already too late. Safety experts have long been calling for freight wagons to be equipped with derailment detectors. Additional train control devices to detect derailments at critical points are also under discussion. ________________________ ◾ Director: Andrea Fischli-Roth ◾ Editor: Jörg Niggli ◾ Moderation: Tobias Müller © 2023 SRF ________________________ This is Einstein: We tell stories that inform, educate and entertain. There are hardly any limits to the range of topics. Everyday phenomena and mysteries are just as important as complex scientific topics. We establish connections to bridge the gap between everyday life and science. Come with us on a fascinating journey into the world of knowledge. A new episode of "Einstein" every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ???? The "Einstein" moderation team on Insta: ► Kathrin Hönegger: / kathrinhoenegger ► Tobias Müller: / tobias._.mueller ???? Would you like to suggest a topic to us? Then write to us: [email protected] MORE KNOWLEDGE, EVERY WEEK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ???? Subscribe to SRF Wissen on YouTube now and activate the bell: ► https://www.youtube.com/srfwissen?sub... ???? More knowledge can be found here: ???? Knowledge to read: https://www.srf.ch/wissen ???? Knowledge to listen to: https://www.srf.ch/audio/themen/wissen ???? Knowledge to watch: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/themen/wis... ________________________ ???? Channel info: Discover, experience, understand, be amazed – that is SRF Wissen on YouTube. Here you will find fascinating videos from the subject areas of knowledge & science, environment & sustainability and health, nature & animals. All bundled on one channel. ______ Social Media Netiquette from SRF: ► https://www.srf.ch/social-netiquette #SRFWissen #SRFEinstein #Gotthard #WissenErleben #Wissenssendung #SRF #Doku