Traffic chaos after lightning strike: trains in Hamm and the surrounding area

Traffic chaos after lightning strike: trains in Hamm and the surrounding area

on Tuesday evening, September 3, 2024, numerous train travelers in Hamm, Lippstadt and Unna were stranded due to a defective signal box. The incident that occurred around 9:56 p.m. is related to a lightning strike that damaged the signal box. While the travelers were waiting for more information at the train stations, the Deutsche Bahn info point was strongly frequented, but it seemed as if the passengers hardly received any specific information about their connections.

Many travelers were forced to linger at the train station for a long time without knowing when they could continue their trip. This unexpected problem affected in particular the lines of the Eurobahn, which is responsible for rail replacement traffic on the affected routes. According to the information page Zuginfo.NRW, there have been serious restrictions on train traffic between Hamm and Lippstadt since the early evening.

Information on affected train connections

affected travelers had to have the unpleasant experience that trains stopped at nearby train stations and waited for a reopening of the section. "Unfortunately, there is no current information on the duration of the blocking," said a press spokesman. Travelers were advised to check their connections regularly.

• RB 59: A rail replacement traffic is currently offered by Haniqi between Unna and Soest. The trains that come from Dortmund Hbf end in Unna, which leads to partial failures on the route.
• RB 89: The trains that come from Münster (Westf) Hbf now end in Hamm (Westf) Hbf. Trains from Paderborn Hbf end in Lippstadt, which also leads to partial failures between Lippstadt and Hamm (Westf) Hbf.
• Re 11 (RRX): These trains end from Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe in Lippstadt, which means that travelers have to expect delays here too.

Additional difficulties were prepared on Tuesday evening by a fatal accident on the A2 at Bönen when a van collided with a truck. This incident led to a multi -hour blocking of the highway, which further tightened the already tense traffic situation.

The unfortunate circumstances of the defective signal box and the information not given by the DB provided frustration and resentment among travelers who were on their way to Soest. The action is another example of the challenges in rail traffic that passengers can often affect unprepared.