A plastic bottle became an obstacle for a tram weighing almost 50 tons in Linz on Sunday afternoon. The tram derailed. But how is that even possible?
How is a small and especially light plastic bottle supposed to derail a tram weighing almost 50 tons? Many “Krone” readers asked themselves this question after the unusual incident on Sunday in Linz, where exactly that happened. The “Krone” asked Linz AG how this could happen. And the answer is as surprising as the whole. It was, fair to say, a combination of several unfortunate and unusual circumstances.
changed direction
“The so-called switch tongue was pushed open by a foreign object, in this case the PET bottle, which was located near the switches when the first wheels were run over. As a result, the following wheels have derailed,” explains Linz AG spokeswoman Susanne Gillhofer. The switch tongue is the part of the switch that determines the direction of travel of the tram.
Turnout normally set earlier
Under normal circumstances, the switches are set before the tram runs over them. But the bottle did this just as the vehicle ran over it and lifted the wheels in the wrong direction, as it were – off the tracks. The fact that nothing more happened in the accident on Sunday afternoon and no passengers were injured is also due to the quick response of the driver, who quickly brought the tram to a stop. And the police are investigating whether the bottle was placed on the switch on purpose.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
