Trains on the double-track national line 330 near Otrokovice in the Zlín region are running late due to a fault in the catenary. According to the Czech Railways website data, they are in the tens of minutes. Estimates of the damage caused are tens of millions of crowns, and repairs may take weeks.
Trains run between Napajedla station in the Zlín region and Hulín station in the Kroměříž region on only one of the two tracks.
The short circuit and the downed line were caused by the fault of a freight carrier who did not respect the signal, Radka Pistoriusová, spokeswoman for the Railway Administration, said.
“The cause of the incident is the failure of the freight carrier to respect the signal for electric operation. This was followed by a short-circuit and the tearing down of the catenary and damage to the signaling equipment,” Pistoriusová said.
Firefighters intervened after 17:00 on the line between Otrokovice and Tlumačov in the Zlín region, according to regional spokeswoman Lucie Javoříková. “The railway firefighters took over. It is under their investigation,” the spokeswoman said.
The firefighters’ daily reports of significant fires show that nine professional and volunteer units were dispatched to overload line parts. According to firefighters, the damage caused exceeded CZK 20 million, and no one was injured. Due to the operation on only one track, trains are running late beyond the restriction point.
According to ČD, the delays are 30 to 40 minutes for long-distance transport and 30 to 60 minutes for regional transportation. “The delay time is indicative and may change,” the carrier said.
According to the Railway Administration, traffic between Otrokovice and Tlumačov is significantly limited due to damage to signaling equipment.
“We will be specifying the prospect of repairs and return to normal operation. Weeks cannot be ruled out,” Pistoriusová said.
The double-track electrified national line number 330 connects Přerov with Břeclav. It is part of the second corridor.
It runs from Přerov via Hulín, Otrokovice, Staré Město in the Uherské Hradiště region, Moravský Písek and Rohatec in the Hodonín region and Hodonín to Breclav.