CF Cluj Zonal department faces the rage of the waters

During the 4th -6th of March this year, the sudden meting of the snow and the abundant rains, caused for disturbances to happen for railway traffic on the area of CF Zonal Department. The floods within this part of the country also severely affected the population, dozens of houses being erased from the face of the earth by waters, not to mention the closing of traffic on some important railway routes within such area.
Because in the hydrographic basin of Viseu river the water level increased so much, on March 4, the waters broke the railway embankment, surpassing the superior level of the rail on many areas between Valea Viseului and Bocicoi railway stations, kilometers 242+100 - 242+500, 243+356 - 243+386, 243+149 - 243+536, 243+556 -243+578. In consequence, between Camara Sighet and Valea Viseului railway stations, closing of traffic were ordered on the night of 4 toward 5 of March, at 2.10 hours.
The lines 3 and 4 were also closed in the Rodna Veche railway station, as well as line sectors such as Baia Mare South - Baia Mare North and Viseul de Jos and Borsa. For the Ilva Mica -Rodna Veche route, traffic was restricted for 15km/h.
The next day, more exactly on March 5, after the rail control, some other embankment damages had occurred on areas km 239+664 - 239+741, 239+839 - 239+851, whereas between km. 239+667 -239+740, nearby the tunnel the stoned parapets that protected the shore were fell down.
Speed restrictions on Ilva Mica - Rodna Veche line was reduced during the day of March 5, up to 5 km/h, but because of the increasing of water level, at 19.15 hours the traffic on this line was temporarily closed, being available again on March 6, after the waters had a little bit withdrawn and the traffic conditions for speed of 15 km/h had been checked.
Waters’ rage caused the abutment of the bridge located on 205+990 km within Campulung Tisa - Frontiers route, to fall dawn; also the metallic walls of the latter were also damaged, which will extend the line closing duration in this area. Because another bridge (located on 10+231 km) was about to be disaffected due to the increasing level of waters, it was decided for the line between Cosbuc - Telciu railway stations to be temporarily closed between 3.15 - 7.45 hours, during the night of March 5 toward 6; the traffic was restarted with a limit of 5 km/h.
The representatives of the Maintenance Department within CF Zonal Department, of the architect and the constructor were convoked in emergency regime to be present on the spot in the damaged areas. Inventories of damages in all the affected areas and calamity minutes were effected by the authorities; such areas were ulterior visited by local authorities.
Reconstruction works were commenced immediately after the waters had withdrawn and the men and machines could entered the area. As a result of the repairing works brought to the embankment on the affected areas between Valea Viseului and Camara Sighet railway stations, of the rectifying of the level and direction and of the rebuilding of the washed broken stoned prism, it was possible for the respective line to be opened on March 11, with restrictions of speed on certain weakened portions: km 231 + 200 -230 + 600, with 30 km/h; km 244 + 050 - 239 + 600, with 15 km/h.
On the time we wrote this article, which was March 16, the lines Camulung Tisa - Tereseva and Baia Mare South - Baia mare North were also closed because of the damaged bridge from 205 + 990 km and of the secondary embankment. In order to render normality of traffic on railway stations Camulung on Tisa and Frontiers, it was mutually establish between the beneficiary, architect and constructor, daily graphics and details for the ongoing execution works, for each objective. One of the solutions adopted for rebuilding the embankment and the parapets in a very short period of time, was the construction of supporting walls out of wire network filled with rough stones.
The floods on the area of Cluj CF Zonal Department happened all of a sudden for our railway men, because in the Railway files for evidencing the areas that would present a risk in the event of natural calamities, the area of Valea Viseului - Bocicoi - Sighet were not included on the list, since such events had not happened for 50 years.
In the areas that present risks in the event of floods, CFR - SA takes periodically all the necessary measures (such as building of ditches, cleaning the exiting ones, etc) in order to keep waters at a distance.

Situation of the line closing and the speed restrictions on 16.03.2001
1. Camara Sighet - Bocicoi
• Closed - 5.03.2001, 2,10 h
• Reopened - 11.03.2001, 16.10 h, with restriction of speed up to 30 km/h between km 321 + 200 - 230 + 600
2. Bocicoi - Valea Viseului
• Closed - 5.03.2001, 2,10
• Reopened - 110.03.2001, 17.19h, with restriction of speed up to 15 km/h between km 244 + 050 - 239 + 600;
3. Campulung on Tisa - Teresva
• Closed - 05.03.2001, 2.10h
4. Viseul de Jos - Borsa
• Closed - 05.03.2001, 10.20h
• Reopened - 05.03.2001, 15.00h
5. Ilva Mica - Sangeorz Bai
• Closed - 5.03.2001, 19.15h
• Reopened - 6.03.2001, 1.25h, with 15km/h between km 43 + 700 - 45 + 000, 48 + 300 - 48 + 600;
• Normal speed - 6.03.2001, 14.20h
6.Cosbuc - Telciu
• Closed - 6.03.2001, 3.15h
• Reopened -6.03.2001, 7.45h with 5 km/h between km 10 + 150 - 10 + 250
• Ameliorated up to 15 km/h - 6.03.2001, 16.00h
7. Baia Mare South - Baia Mare North
• Closed - 3.03.2001, 11.45h.

Reporting Ileana Statie