Related Articles (History) since May 15, 2014…
Below the text, you can view a photo gallery of the destruction of railway infrastructure caused by floods in BiH
Following the recent natural disaster that affected the entire Bosnia and Herzegovina, passenger and freight rail traffic in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is proceeding with difficulties, and on some sections, it has been completely suspended. To prevent further damage and ensure the safe operation of railway services, a crisis management team for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been established, and operational teams have been dispatched to the field.
The most critical situation is in the Business Areas (BA) of Sarajevo, Tuzla, and Zenica, while railway transportation is proceeding with fewer difficulties in BA Mostar, and unobstructed in BA Bihać.
Due to emergency circumstances caused by weather conditions, there has been a complete suspension of passenger and freight transportation on the Tuzla-Zvornik, Tuzla-Šamac, Tuzla-Banovići, Tuzla-Doboj, Doboj-Zenica, and Zenica-Kakanj railroads. Passenger trains on the Sarajevo-Čapljina-Sarajevo route are operating without interruptions.
Teams of railway workers are on the ground around the clock with all available machinery in order to restore traffic as quickly as possible from Kakanj to Zenica. Operational teams of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Railways are on the field, taking all measures within their authority and in accordance with the Emergency Response Regulations, cooperating with local community representatives and Civil Protection, mobilizing all available personnel and material-technical resources to mitigate the effects of the floods.
On the Brčko-Banovići railway in Živinice, a flood of water has carried away one kilometer of ballast and left the tracks without support. The same situation occurred on the Zenica-Maglaj railway section in Topčić Polje near Nemila, where debris washed away ballast and damaged the contact network, and a massive landslide caused the tracks to shift. On the Kakanj-Lašva railway segment, soil movement resulted in the tracks being buried in several locations. Repair works on this section are currently underway.
After the water recedes, it will be possible to start repairing the section of the railway from Sarajevo to Doboj, as well as throughout the entire Tuzla Canton, in order to restore the free flow of goods and passengers as quickly as possible.
And one good news: On May 17th, around 7:30 PM, the first freight trains headed towards Zenica while passenger traffic is still suspended.
May 20, 2014.
Copied from: http://www.zfbh.ba/zfbhbax/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=116
Due to theft on the tracks, temporarily suspended is the heavily disrupted traffic on the section Kakanj – Lašva
Frequent thefts of railway property hinder an already difficult and complex rehabilitation of railway infrastructure, which was severely damaged due to floods that affected Bosnia and Herzegovina. On May 19, 2014, around 10:40 PM, approximately 700 meters of contact wire with supporting cable were stolen between the Modrinje and Kakanj stations, leading to a power outage on the railway. As a result, train traffic on the Kakanj-Lašva section was temporarily suspended again since last night. Railway crews are working around the clock in the field with the aim of restoring the railway tracks or parts of the tracks for train operation as quickly as possible. The most critical situation remains in the Tuzla Business Area. On the Ljubače-Živinice route, where the Spreča River has destroyed about 250 meters of track and track embankment, repair works are ongoing. After restoring this section, plans are in place to repair the bridge over the Gostelja River (Živinice-Donja Višća) and fix damaged bridges and tracks toward Kalesija and Zvornik. Simultaneously, efforts are underway to clear the Lukavac-Dobošnica and Mramor-Brčko rail sections. It is very important to emphasize that in the Zenica Business Area, production continuity for ArcelorMittal is maintained through daily shipments of goods arriving from Luka Ploče, ensuring uninterrupted manufacturing. Additionally, coal deliveries from RMU Zenica to the Kakanj Thermal Power Plant are ongoing daily. Railway workers from the Mostar Passenger Department organized humanitarian aid collection for affected areas, and the first convoy departed for its destination this morning.
Public Relations Service of ŽFBiH
May 21, 2014.
Warning to residents along the Zenica–Maglaj railway: Contact network is energized at 25,000 Volts
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Railways warns residents living along the Zenica – Maglaj railway line that the contact network along both the left and right tracks is energized at 25,000 volts, and we kindly ask them to exercise great caution when restoring their property to prevent endangering lives. If work needs to be performed near the contact network, residents are asked to contact representatives of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Railways and carry out the work under their supervision. Additionally, we want to emphasize that through continuous work to remove stones, mud, logs, and other materials brought onto the track by floodwaters and landslides, the workers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Railways have created the prerequisites for the complete clearing of the Zenica – Maglaj section in the next day or two, and preparations for light traffic will begin. If everything proceeds according to plan, Sarajevo would be connected by rail with Maglaj as soon as possible. On the Zenica – Maglaj line, there were 17 critical points that directly threatened the left and right tracks due to landslides, debris deposits, overflowing streams, and torn contact networks. Railway crews are working tirelessly in the field with all available machinery to repair the damage caused by the recent natural disaster. The most challenging areas are Topčić Polje, Nemila, Kahrimani, Globarica, and Mračaj. The railway workers from the Mostar Operational Area have organized aid convoys. Following significant damage caused by floods and landslides impacting both the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s railway infrastructure and the property of employees, workers in the Mostar Operational Area organized and helped colleagues in the Zenica Operational Area. After witnessing the catastrophic situation in affected areas, within less than 24 hours, staff, through the management of the Area and existing branch unions, launched an action to purchase and collect basic food supplies for colleagues in Zenica. The purchased items included water, food, sanitary and hygiene products, gloves, shovels, and more, and on Tuesday, two trucks from Mostar were delivered and handed over to colleagues in Zenica. In addition to this aid, 20 construction workers from the Mostar Area arrived in Zenica on Tuesday to assist with clearing and repairing the railway for several days. This is a small contribution to overcoming the disaster that struck colleagues in the affected areas, but the workers from the Mostar Operational Area wanted to show their willingness to help everyone in need within their capabilities. On May 17th, around 7:30 PM, the first freight trains departed for Zenica, while passenger traffic remains suspended. May 20, 2014. Source: http://www.zfbh.ba/zfbhbax/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=116
There were 17 critical points on the Zenica – Maglaj railway that directly threatened the left and right tracks due to landslides, deposits of materials, and the overflow of mountain streams, as well as broken contact networks.
The railway teams are working day and night in the field and, with all available machinery, are working to eliminate the consequences of the natural disaster. The most severe situation was in the areas of Topčić Polje, Nemila, Kahrimani, Globarica, Mračaj, etc.
Railway workers from PP Mostar have sent aid convoys
In response to the major damages caused by floods and landslides, both on the property of the Railways Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the property of employees, railway workers in the Mostar Business Area organized themselves and assisted colleagues in the Zenica Business Area. After witnessing the catastrophic situation in the affected areas, in less than 24 hours, employees, through the management of the Area and existing branch unions, implemented an action to purchase and gather basic food supplies for colleagues in the Zenica PP.
Water, food, sanitary and hygiene supplies, gloves, shovels, and so on were purchased, and on Tuesday, two trucks from Mostar were delivered and handed over to colleagues in Zenica.
In addition to the assistance mentioned, on Tuesday, 20 workers from the Construction Department from the Mostar Area arrived in Zenica. They will stay for the necessary number of days, helping colleagues with cleaning and repairing the tracks. This is a small contribution to overcoming the disaster that has struck colleagues in endangered areas, but railway workers from the Mostar Passenger Sector wanted to show their willingness to help everyone in need and to the extent of their capabilities.
Railway workers have repaired the Sarajevo-Zenica-Maglaj track in record time
Making extraordinary efforts, the railroad workers of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina succeeded last night, in late hours, to restore the railway on the Zenica – Maglaj section. In this way, they reestablished freight traffic on the Sarajevo-Zenica-Maglaj route in record time, and in cooperation with ŽRS, Maglaj is now connected to Doboj as well.
On all sections, due to precautionary measures, light traffic has been introduced, and because of the torn contact wire, diesel traction has been employed.
By establishing these routes, the Railway of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has created the prerequisites for the operation of economic entities reliant on rail traffic. Currently, uninterrupted production is secured for the Đurđevik, Banovići, and Dubrave mines in the Tuzla basin, as well as for the thermal power plants in Tuzla and Kakanj, and for raw material deliveries to ArcelorMittal in Zenica. The next primary task is the restoration of the contact network to enable passenger transport on the Sarajevo-Zenica-Maglaj segment and further towards Doboju.
So far, the work on repairing the routes amounts to over 10 million KM, and the estimated total cost of repairing and revitalizing the railway infrastructure will exceed several tens of millions of KM. Therefore, ŽFBiH has issued an appeal for international assistance to all railway authorities in the region and Europe.
May 23, 2014. http://www.nezavisne.com
Disrupted freight transport to Zenica
PRIJEDOR – The “ArselorMital” mine in Prijedor has halted iron ore shipments to the partner “ArselorMital” Zenica due to a suspension of railway traffic, and has reduced ore production to a minimum because of full storage capacities, the company announced today. The Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mining of Republika Srpska, Željko Kovačević, stated that the government ordered the repair of the damaged railway and that “Željeznice Republike Srpske” (Railways of Republika Srpska) is in negotiations with contractors. The railway line was interrupted in Kostajnica near Doboj over a length of 250 meters, as well as in Prisoje and Kulaši, each about 50 meters long. “ArselorMital Prijedor” has sent personnel and machinery to Doboj to assist their colleagues in reconstructing the railway, and preparations have begun for the delivery of 2,000 cubic meters of stone to Doboj from the Drnovača quarry, which is also under the exploitation rights of this mine. From the Omarska mine, approximately 160,000 tons of ore are shipped monthly to Zenica, and shipments to partners in Poland and the Czech Republic are proceeding according to plan.
FBH Railway Workers won’t go home until the Brčko – Banovići railway line is fully repaired.
May 23, 2014, 3:57 PM
Azra Mesić
Radio Television of Tuzla Canton
In the Bosnia and Herzegovina railways, there are true work campaigns. The repair of sections damaged by floods and landslides is ongoing to restore rail transportation of goods for the local economy. However, the Brčko – Banovići line will not be passable for at least another three days. The two-day coal production at the Banovići mine, nearly 10,000 tons, could not wait longer for rail transport, so mine machinery helped to establish traffic to the Tuzla Thermal Power Plant in record time.
Yesterday, production was normalized. We managed to deliver some materials to the trucks. Now, trains are running regularly to the Thermal Power Plant in Tuzla, but we haven’t started heading to Kakanj yet due to a disruption on that section of the railway,” says Munever Čergić, General Director of RMU Banovići. On the section through Malina in Živinice, there are no more problems, but along the entire track to Brčko, railway workers are removing soil from the sleepers and rails, and repairing dikes that have been taken away by landslides. There’s no rest in Mramor. The operation reminds of the one over 60 years ago when this famous line was built. Nijaz Muratović, the head of the Mramor Railway Station, says that workers are constantly there, 24 hours a day. “Work is happening around the clock. We’ve all left this railway to finish it as soon as possible.” The work is overseen by Nedim Šabić, Deputy Director of Željeznice FBiH, Tuzla branch. “Between the Mramor and Tinja stations, we have five landslides and two mudslides. When we finish, I believe this will be the only railway route out of the Federation,” he says. There are also ongoing repairs on the broad-gauge sections in Špionica and Ormanica. Besides the mines, the Tuzla Solana, Lukavačka Koksara, Brčanska Šećerana, and many other factories, which mostly use the railway for freight transport, are waiting for the track to be repaired.
26.05.2014. Public Relations Service of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
All routes on the ŽFBiH railway lines are passable.
All routes on the Željeznice FBiH railway lines are now passable, and the supply of industrial entities is proceeding smoothly, with cautious driving and increased safety measures! By removing and repairing 50 critical points on certain sections, the entire railway corridor from Doboj to Čapljina has been connected, including the tracks on the Tuzla-Zvornik, Tuzla-Brčko, Tuzla-Banovići, and Tuzla-Doboj routes. Further connections between Željeznice FBiH and Banja Luka, as well as to Croatia and Serbia, depend on the pace of work carried out by Željeznice RS, Croatioan Railways, and Serbian Railways.
Damage assessment: 8.3 million, while the total is around 25 million KM.
Considering that the initial damage assessment on the ŽFBiH railways amounts to approximately 8.3 million KM, the repair costs will be at least three times higher. Due to a lack of internal funds for repairing the railway network, ŽFBiH has issued an appeal for assistance to international railway associations such as UIC and CER, as well as other railway administrations. Amid the ongoing efforts to restore railway operations, the accounts of Željeznice FBiH have been frozen, which has left the company in a situation where it literally cannot purchase even a liter of fuel. ŽFBiH insists on the urgent unfreezing of the accounts and the prompt appointment of a Management Board, as the company has been operating without one for months. The theft of iron weights, cables, and other materials, both during normal circumstances and especially in emergency situations, directly threatens safety and the lives of all whose work and movement depend on the railway. ŽFBiH calls on the responsible authorities to take all necessary measures to identify and punish the perpetrators. Thanks to the tireless efforts of railway workers, the critical points on the stretches from Sarajevo to Zenica and from Zenica to Maglaj were cleared several days ago, and both freight and passenger traffic have been restored with enhanced safety measures. With the resolution of the critical points in the Tuzla area, the ŽFBiH railway lines are finally fully connected and operational.
June 4, 2014. Radiosarajevo.ba Trains are starting from Sarajevo to Doboj
The Railways of Republika Srpska announced that, starting tomorrow, partial international passenger traffic will be restored, meaning trains will run on the Sarajevo-Doboj-Sarajevo route to repair the section damaged by flooding, reports Fena. According to the schedule, trains will depart from Sarajevo at 10:46 to Doboje and from Doboje at 15:09 to Sarajevo. Full passenger traffic on the Banja Luka – Doboje – Banja Luka route, as well as international traffic on the Sarajevo – Zagreb – Sarajevo route, is planned to resume after completing the repair work on the affected section of the tracks.
