- Stranded locomotives in Braker port transported by ship
Following the disruption of rail traffic in the Wesermarsch region due to a ship collision at the Hunte Bridge, two stranded locomotives were transported away from the port of Brake using an inland ship. A crane lifted the multi-ton vehicles from the Niedersachsen Kai onto a freighter, which will take the locomotives to Bremen. "Due to the bridge closure, all locomotives and freight wagons are stranded here in Brake or in Nordenham, cut off from rail traffic," said Dennis Ortwein, head of the harbor railway team in Brake, to Deutsche Presse-Agentur. The loading was necessary because the railway company needs the locomotives back in operation.
The nearly 100-ton locomotives were first maneuvered to the edge of the dock and then lifted one by one by two harbor cranes. "The challenge here is simply the weight of the electric locomotives," said Ortwein. The vehicles must be secured with slings and restraints.
The damaged railway bridge in Elsfleth is of great importance to the region as it connects the harbors on the left side of the Weser to rail freight traffic. An inland ship collided with the railway bridge on July 23. The ship's bridge house was almost completely destroyed, and the structure and overhead line were also damaged. Train traffic over the bridge has been suspended since then.
This is the second time this year that stranded locomotives have had to be transported out of the harbor by sea. In February, a ship collision at the regular Hunte Bridge damaged the structure so severely that a temporary bridge had to be built. Ortwein said they have developed a certain routine in loading locomotives.
This week, repairs to the temporary bridge are expected to progress. Today, a floating crane is scheduled to remove the damaged bridge section. According to the Ministry of Transport in Hanover, the repair of the bridge is expected to be completed by August 25.
The relocation of additional stranded locomotives might be necessary if the disruption continues, as other locomotives are also affected by the bridge closure. The process of securing and lifting the heavy locomotives requires careful planning and precise execution by the harbor crane operators.
