# Train Disruptions Continue in Rhine-Main Area Following Locomotive Derailment
Major rail disruptions are expected too continue through Friday, January 23rd, in the Rhine-Main region after a freight locomotive derailed near Hattersheim station on Tuesday night, damaging critical infrastructure.
A freight train locomotive derailed at Hattersheim station around midnight on January 20th, causing significant damage to the railway infrastructure and halting train service on key routes. While no injuries were reported, the incident has created a logistical challenge for commuters and long-distance travelers alike.
Locomotive Recovered, Repairs Underway
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The derailed locomotive was successfully lifted back onto the tracks on Wednesday night, according to the Hattersheim fire department. However, the recovery of the locomotive is only the first step in a complex repair process. A damaged overhead line mast requires reconstruction, with a temporary mast being erected to facilitate single-track traffic.
“Work to salvage the locomotive and repair the damage has begun,” Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced on Tuesday. Repair crews are working to restore service as quickly as possible, but full service is not expected to resume until Friday afternoon.
Service Updates and Disruptions
As of Friday, January 23rd, 3:00 a.m., S-Bahn line 1 will operate every half hour from Wiesbaden to Frankfurt via Hattersheim. Trains traveling in the direction of Wiesbaden will utilize the S9 route, also running every half hour. DB anticipates a full return to regular service for all trains by 4:00 p.m.on Friday. The S1 line from Frankfurt Central Station will be rerouted accordingly.
A replacement bus service will be in operation between Frankfurt-Höchst and Mainz-Kastel on Friday to accommodate affected passengers. Restrictions on train traffic around Hattersheim are expected to persist throughout the day.
On Thursday, January 22nd, restrictions continued as crews aimed to enable single-track traffic between Flörsheim (Main) and Frankfurt-Höchst by evening. Regional trains and long-distance traffic were rerouted via Rüsselsheim since Wednesday. the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV) reported that trains on lines RE4 and RE14 were rerouted between Mainz and Frankfurt without stopping, while trains on line RE2 made stops in Rüsselsheim. The RE9 line remained canceled on Thursday, with bus replacement services continuing for S1 journeys.
Impact on Long-Distance Travel
The derailment has also significantly impacted long-distance travel. ICE trains on the Dortmund – Cologne – Koblenz – Frankfurt – Nuremberg – Vienna line have been canceled in both directions between dortmund and Frankfurt(M). Similarly, ICE trains between Cologne and Nuremberg, with scheduled stops in Bonn and Koblenz, are canceled in both directions between Cologne and Frankfurt.
Initial Incident and Investigation
The incident occurred during a shunting operation, with the freight locomotive coming off a shunting track and colliding with a buffer stop, according to the Hattersheim fire department. The emergency control center of Deutsche Bahn was alerted at approximately 12:25 a.m. on Tuesday, instantly halting all train traffic on the affected route.
Approximately 50 liters of transformer oil and 50 liters of other operating fluids leaked from the locomotive, prompting a response from the Hattersheim fire department, who successfully sealed a leaky tank containing around 2,700 liters of transformer oil. A federal police spokesman confirmed that the shunting operation was both ordered and approved.
