Train traffic between Nijmegen, Oss and Den Bosch was blocked between half past three and just after half past five. It was reported to ProRail that damage had occurred to the railway bridge at Ravenstein: a ship allegedly hit it. The railway manager then had the train traffic stopped as a precaution. An inspection revealed that there was … nothing wrong: people had seen a ship slowly passing under the bridge and thought that the boat had become stuck. However, the captain of the ship has said that there were no problems.
When that was clear, the Dutch Railways (NS) could give the green light. The NS initially thought that the trains would not be able to run over the railway bridge again until half past six. In the meantime, buses were used, albeit ‘very limited’.
It happens more often that boats run into a railway bridge, a ProRail spokesperson explains. The bridge must then be inspected to see if it is still safe and accessible. Only then can the bridge be put back into use.