Bergensbanen reopens after derailment incident
The Arna-Vaksdal stretch of the Bergensbanen railway line has resumed operations as of Tuesday, April 2nd, following closures due to significant damages resulting from a freight train derailment on 22 March 2024 at Arna Station. There were no serious injuries.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the derailment is underway, with involvement from the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board, the police, and Bane NOR’s investigation and analysis unit. Bane NOR was only able to commence cleanup operations both inside and outside the Arnanipatunnelen after the conclusion of the official investigations.
The extensive damage to the railway infrastructure, including the tracks, overhead lines, and signalling systems, requires a comprehensive restoration effort. Work has been ongoing around the clock since Easter to address the aftermath of the derailment.
The incident also affected passenger services, with a regional train from Oslo to Bergen stranded in the Arnanipatunnelen. Efforts were made to evacuate passengers promptly, with assistance provided by buses at Stanghelle to transport passengers to Bergen, where further support was available.
Repair work through Easter
“This has been demanding work in a limited and very narrow construction area. We pulled out all the stops to rebuild the damaged infrastructure so that the Bergen Line could reopen between Arna and Vaksdal as quickly as possible,” said Hans Gunnar Dokken, Regional Director of the Norwegian National Rail Administration, Bane NOR, for the South-West region.
Throughout Easter, around 30 skilled workers repaired the tracks in shifts. Specialised machinery was used extensively, including for the installation of 3000 metres of signalling cable, numerous cable splices, replacement of sleepers, construction of new overhead lines, and the completion of several rail welds.
The removal of the derailed train began on Sunday, March 24th, following the release of the accident site by the authorities. The process, which lasted until Wednesday, March 27th, involved extracting the locomotive, freight cars, and containers from the tunnel, where the locomotive was situated. The removal of the locomotive, freight cars, and containers marked the final phase of the cleanup efforts, with the use of a mobile crane to extract the containers and undamaged freight cars.
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