[SE] SJ high speed train has derailed

[JonasB]

Scandinavia has been hit by bad weather in the last days, heavy rains and very windy. As a result, a SJ high speed train derailed earlier today outside Hudiksvall. https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/g...rade-taget-kunde-ha-gatt-mycket-varre--tqyjrl (Hopefully you can see the clip even outside Sweden.) There were no fatalities or major injuries but two person were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

More photos can be seen here: https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/sj-tag-har-sparat-ur-i-hudiksvall/

 

[jamesontheroad]

This will have quite a big impact for trains between Stockholm and the north for the next week. It is mentioned on Postvagnen forum that a temporary road will have to be built to the accident site in order to bring recovery equipment in.

SJ post the following with an estimated resolution of 13 August.

Train service is shut down between Söderhamn and Hudiksvall since 8th of August due to a derailment.

This affects the train service on the routes:

• Stockholm C – Sundsvall C – Umeå C/–Duved: SJ High-speed, InterCity and Night trains take a different route with a prolonged travel time of approx. 2-3 hours. Trains do not stop in Söderhamn and Hudiksvall. Cancelled departures occur.

Search your train number to see how your journey is affected.

Traffic is expected to resume at the end of the week.

We ask you to pay attention to signs and announcements at the station.

If you would like to rebook your journey free of charge, or cancel and receive a refund, please visit sj.se/searchorder

Please check here regularly for updates.

SJ’s train tracker is generally quite good, but it doesn’t cope so well with major disruptions and diversions like this. I presume train 94 was diverted via Bollnäs and Ånge overnight (see photo).

 

[dutchflyer]

As an aside-related topic: currently in Denmark, using a summer-weekly ticket and for today DSB has also announced reduced service today and there are severe warnings for what might be the heaviest storm/winds since many years. When I look out of the window of a hotelroom now, southern part of JYlland, not much of this noted.

 

[rf_ioliver]

As an aside-related topic: currently in Denmark, using a summer-weekly ticket and for today DSB has also announced reduced service today and there are severe warnings for what might be the heaviest storm/winds since many years. When I look out of the window of a hotelroom now, southern part of JYlland, not much of this noted.

It is hitting mainly northern Jylland and Fyn at the moment. Though for the past few days I think landing at Kastrup would have been interesting. East coast of Sweden has been windy, by no more so than here in Finland which apart from a major signalling failure at Seinäjoki there hasn't been any weather related rain disruption. The big storm seems to be abating a bit and mainly affecting Åland later today. Though in saying that, we've been hit by some record temperatures here in southern Finland...31C and very very windy.

https://www.windy.com/?60.158,22.939,6 is a great resource

 

[ABB125]

My brother is currently in Örnsköldsvik and was going to get the night train to Stockholm tonight, but unfortunately that's been cancelled. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've had a quick look on the SJ website but everything it suggests is "sold out" (but nothing says cancelled?).
He's been told he can claim up to 3000SEK for alternative travel arrangements. Flying would be very difficult for a number of reasons.

Thanks!

 

[JonasB]

My brother is currently in Örnsköldsvik and was going to get the night train to Stockholm tonight, but unfortunately that's been cancelled. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've had a quick look on the SJ website but everything it suggests is "sold out" (but nothing says cancelled?).
He's been told he can claim up to 3000SEK for alternative travel arrangements. Flying would be very difficult for a number of reasons.

Has Vy provided any information? According to their website there will be a replacement bus from Örnsköldsvik to Mellansel.

 

[ABB125]

Has Vy provided any information? According to their website there will be a replacement bus from Örnsköldsvik to Mellansel.

This is what he's sent to me:

Hej! Din resa 2023-08-10, med tåg 77 (ESH7628F) har blivit inställd mellan Umeå C och Stockholm C / Göteborg C på grund av rådande väderlek. Vi har försökt att hitta ett nytt resealternativ men har tyvärr begränsad tillgång till ersättningstrafik. Du behöver därför boka om eller avboka din resa utan kostnad, oavsett biljettyp, gå in på sj.se/andraresa. Om du behöver använda andra färdmedel eller göra egna utlägg för logi, kan du göra detta för en summa upp till 3000 kronor Spara ditt kvitto och kontakta vår kundservice för begäran om ersättning. Vi är ledsna över att detta drabbar dig. Hälsningar SJ We would like to inform you of changes for your journey by train 77. For more information, please visit sj.se/zABNra.

 

[JonasB]

Ok, I wrongly assumed he was travelling with VY. There is always the option of using regional trains. Norrtåg to Sundsvall seems to be running as normal between Ö-vik and Sundsvall. From Sundsvall to Gävle will be problematic but X-trafik is trying to arrange replacement buses.

There is also Ybuss, https://www.ybuss.se/ but they are probably sold out at the moment. Or seeing if VY has any seats left.

 

[ABB125]

Ok, I wrongly assumed he was travelling with VY. There is always the option of using regional trains. Norrtåg to Sundsvall seems to be running as normal between Ö-vik and Sundsvall. From Sundsvall to Gävle will be problematic but X-trafik is trying to arrange replacement buses.

There is also Ybuss, https://www.ybuss.se/ but they are probably sold out at the moment. Or seeing if VY has any seats left.

Thanks - the only train that doesn't say it's sold out is SJ77 tomorrow night. Is that likely to be cancelled as well?

 

[jamesontheroad]

The situation is still fluid. This notice from SJ says (English further down the page):

9th August: Trains are cancelled between Söderhamn–Hudiksvall / Hudiksvall–Söderhamn and replaced by bus. Travel time will be prolonged with 30-60 minutes.

10-11th August: Trains are cancelled Söderhamn–Hudiksvall / Hudiksvall–Sundsvall. We are doing everything we can to find an alternative means of transport for you. Updated info about replacement services will follow the day before your journey.

Link: https://www.sj.se/trafikinformation/storning-station/Örnsköldsvik C/ÖK/20510?date=2023-08-10

It isn't surprising that the Intercity and night trains are fully booked, especially as they accommodate people from previous days. Local and regional trains operated by Norrtåg (south from Örnsköldsvik - Sundsvall) and X-Trafik (Sundsvall to Gävle) never require reservations, so an alternative is as @JonasB says to piece together the trip with local trains including the replacement buses for the affected stretch.

Finally, Ybuss operate an intercity bus once or twice a week from Örnsköldsvik and Stockholm. Next departure is on Saturday, d. 11:00 from Örnsköldsvik Resecentrum, a. 18:45
Stockholm Cityterminalen.

Ybuss - prisvärda och bekväma bussresor. Välkommen! | Ybuss

www.ybuss.se

More detail, in Swedish, from Järnvägar.nu:

https://jarnvagar.nu/langt-tagstopp-efter-ursparning/

Extract, my translation:

"It's extremely wet in the fields near the derailment site after all the rain," says Bengt Olsson at the Swedish Transport Administration.

"Before we can get crane trucks to the site, a road must be built, and after the recovery, the embankment must be built up and new track laid out."

A road is being built to the accident site. Construction of the road began on Tuesday.

"It will probably take until the beginning of next week before train traffic can resume."

The fact that the embankment was undermined and subsequently collapsed was because the heavy rains had caused a small stream to flood.

The accident will be investigated by the National Accident Commission.

The embankment has also been damaged by the large flow of water south of Iggesund.

In the meantime, train traffic on the Ostkustbanan is stopped, most long-distance trains, including SJ's night trains, are diverted via Ånge and Ljusdal, which causes delays of up to two hours.

Vy Tåg runs the night trains via Vännäs–Långsele–Ljusdal without touching Sundsvall until August 12.

Xtrafik's regional trains run Gävle–Söderhamn and Hudiksvall–Sundsvall with bus replacement between Söderhamn and Hudiksvall.

During Tuesday, train traffic between Ånge and Sundsvall was stopped after a tree fell on the contact line in the area of Ljungaverk.

 

[JonasB]

Thanks - the only train that doesn't say it's sold out is SJ77 tomorrow night. Is that likely to be cancelled as well?

Who knows? They are as mentioned rerouted further inland via Norra Stambanan (the Northern mainline) and Stambanan genom Övre Norrland (the Mainline through upper Norrland), so it should run.

 

[ABB125]

Who knows? They are as mentioned rerouted further inland via Norra Stambanan (the Northern mainline) and Stambanan genom Övre Norrland (the Mainline through upper Norrland), so it should run.

Thanks.

In an update on my brother's journey, he took a local train to Sundsvall last night, and today is planning to take the local train/replacement bus combination to Gävle, then onwards to Stockholm

 

[jamesontheroad]

In an update on my brother's journey, he took a local train to Sundsvall last night, and today is planning to take the local train/replacement bus combination to Gävle, then onwards to Stockholm

Good news. I'm sorry he has not had such a positive impression of my adopted homeland. In my experience, when things go wrong on the Swedish railway, they go wrong in a big way. It's very difficult to arrange alternative provisions in a large and sparsely populated country. Since many Swedish railways are single track, small delays can have big effects; and when lines are closed it can be very difficult to find buses and drivers nearby.

 

[JonasB]

Thanks.

In an update on my brother's journey, he took a local train to Sundsvall last night, and today is planning to take the local train/replacement bus combination to Gävle, then onwards to Stockholm

I hope he made it to Stockholm without too much trouble.

 

[ABB125]

I hope he made it to Stockholm without too much trouble.

I've not heard anything from him, so I assume he has