Private association calls Romanian rail “a veritable lottery with the lives of citizens”

Romania’s private rail employers association OPSFPR has issued a warning after yesterday’s collision of two freight trains. An employee on PIMK Rail’s train passed away as a result of the crash. OPSFPR points to a lack of funding and disinterest of the authorities in rail: those have made train travel a “veritable lottery with the lives of citizens.”
The crash took place between capital city Bucharest and Craiova on a mainline track. Reportedly, two wagons of a Rail Cargo Romania freight train derailed at a switch. In turn, they ended up on the opposing track, right in the path of an incoming PIMK Rail train. The collision was inevitable by that point, causing the loss of life of one person.

No investigation into the matter has been concluded. Nevertheless, OPSFPR mentions some well-known issues in the Romanian rail sector as underlying factors for the crash: A lack of funding, disinterest from authorities, and the subsequent deterioration of infrastructure.

Austro-Hungarian Empire infrastructure

“The railway employers’ association firmly draws attention to the serious degradation of the railway infrastructure in Romania, a situation that calls into question the safety of passengers and freight transport”, the association says. “The chronic lack of funds allocated to maintenance, combined with the negligence and disinterest of the authorities, has transformed train travel into a veritable lottery with the lives of citizens.”

The Romanian rail infrastructure is outdated, leading to frequent incidents on the network: “[…] in many regions people still travel on lines built during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which have not been properly modernized for more than a century. This state of affairs can no longer be tolerated”, says OPSFPR, highlighting the impact on safety and competitiveness of rail freight.

Lack of interest from the ministry

“The lack of interest of the Ministry of Transport for railway transport is seen and felt daily. The lack of investment and the delay in rehabilitation works have created a disastrous situation, which endangers not only the safety of citizens, but also the future of this vital sector for the national economy”, the association concludes.