Roadworks cause Turkey’s state-of-the-art high-speed train track to collapse in Eskişehir
ESKİŞEHİR – Doğan News Agency
Passengers boarded the brand new trains from a grade crossing lying ahead of the collapsed portion of the track as the trains were unable to enter Eskişehir's railway station, Dec. 30. Cihan photo
Roadworks undertaken by municipality workers caused the collapse of a portion of the high-speed railway (YHT) track connecting Eskişehir to Ankara Dec. 30.The works were launched by the Eskişehir Municipality near the city’s railway station to build an underground passage for car traffic beneath the train track.
The collapse of the railroad track affected the train traffic between Eskişehir and the capital. Passengers were transferred to a grade crossing lying ahead of the collapsed portion of the track to board into the trains as those were unable to enter the railway station.
The western city of Eskişehir lies at halfway point of the high-speed railroad between Ankara and Istanbul, which is expected to be operational next year. The new line will reduce the journey by train between Turkey’s two main cities from seven hours to three.
Track repair works were completed a few hours after the collapse, officials of the Turkish State Railways said.
The government had recently announced that at least 2,500 kilometers of high-speed rail line would be built in the next five years to connect 14 different cities.
