The Anonymous Widower

From Groningen To Leer By Train

On my recent trip to the Netherlands and Germany, I didn’t get to do this trip by train and had to make do with a slow bus ride.

However I’ve just found this video on YouTube.

The Freisenbrücke is about an hour from the start of the video.

I should fast forward, as there is only so much travelling on a single-track rail line, that you can watch before falling asleep.

I got this impression of the route in the video, which was made in October 2014.

• The route is mainly single-track, with some passing loops at stations.
• the track is not electrified, except for short sections at either end.
• The track was almost straight.
• The track, stations and signalling appear to be in good condition.
• There were a large number of level crossings.
• The train took around one hour and twenty minutes between Groningen and Leer stations.

I can imagine that Deutsche Bahn and Arriva Netherlands were a good bit more and just annoyed, when the MV Emsmoon destroyed the bridge.

Wikipedia says this about the accident.

On 3 December 2015, Emsmoon collided with the Friesenbrücke [de], which carries the Ihrhove–Nieuweschans railway over the Ems. The cause of the accident was reported to be miscommunication between the bridge operator and pilot on board the ship. The bridge could not be raised as a train was due, but the ship failed to stop and collided with the bridge, blocking both railway and river. The bridge was so severely damaged that it will have to be demolished. Replacement is expected to take five years

I suspect, it’s not just an massive inconvenience for the railway, as a couple of miles South on the River Ems, is the Meyer Werft shipyard, where cruise ships up to 180,000 tonnes are built.

I found this document on the NDR.de web site and gleaned the following information.

• The cost of rebuilding could be up to eight million euros.
• The new bridge will be finished in 2024, if all goes well.
• Environmentalists are bringing lawsuits against the construction of the bridge.

It will be a challenge to rebuild this bridge.

This video shows the new bridge

Let’s hope that one of those large cruise ships doesn’t hit the bridge.

Conclusion

This surely has been a very costly accident.

April 1, 2019 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Bridges, Freisenbrücke, Germany, Groningen Station, Rail Accidents, The Netherlands