Romania\u2019s national railway operator CFR announced on Sunday, August 23, that railway traffic was temporarily halted on the Simeria\u2013Or\u0103\u0219tie section,\u00a0in western Romania, after personnel identified \u201cimprovised electrical installations, placed by unknown persons\u201d in the Turda\u0219 railway tunnel.<\/p>\n
According to a press release, the competent authorities went to the site and conducted investigations to establish the circumstances in which the installations were placed in the tunnel and to identify the persons responsible.<\/p>\n
At the same time, CFR personnel carried out checks on the railway infrastructure and assisted the authorities during the investigation.<\/p>\n
The railway operator drew attention to \u201cthe seriousness of any unauthorized intervention on the railway infrastructure or in its safety area,\u201d as such actions can pose major risks to train traffic, passengers and railway personnel.<\/p>\n
Railway traffic resumed at 16:41 on the same day on both tracks of the Simeria\u2013Or\u0103\u0219tie section, main line 200, after the completion of checks carried out in the area of the Turda\u0219 railway tunnel, the National Railway Company CFR said in a statement. According to the cited source, no elements were identified that would require maintaining the traffic stoppage measure. The temporary stoppage did not cause delays or other implications for train traffic, the statement said.<\/p>\n
It is not the first time that objects were intentionally placed on railway tracks. There have been four other cases in which railway workers detected obstacles on the railway line. The first incident occurred on June 18 at Constan\u021ba railway station. A piece of concrete (a safety marker) was intentionally placed on the railway, which could have led to a train derailment.<\/p>\n
This was followed by a railway sabotage attempt in Suceava, eastern Romania, another one between Constan\u021ba Technical Group and the entrance to Constan\u021ba Railway Station, and one in Petro\u0219ani, on the other side of the country, according to Club Feroviar<\/a>.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, CFR announced that it found three objects on the Constan\u021ba-Mangalia railway line, between Constan\u021ba and Agigea. Branches and concrete objects were intentionally placed within the railway clearance gauge and were removed. The Railway Transport Police was notified and began conducting investigations.<\/p>\n