Due to a malfunction last night, the barriers remained closed for seven hours at three railway crossings in Ermelo. All the while the level crossing bells were ringing and the emergency lights flashing. And it didn’t stop there, because the trains that ran between Amersfoort and Zwolle did so very carefully and honked loudly, reports Broadcasting Gelderland.
The problems arose just before midnight, according to rail manager ProRail, as a result of a fault in a rail coil. This is the electronic component between the rails that indicates whether a train is approaching. As a precaution, the barriers will be closed. In such a case, the trains have to pass the transitions with extra care – and honk the horn every time.
Punishable
If the railway barriers are closed and the alarm signals are on, it is punishable to pass a railway crossing. It is unclear whether people tried that in Ermelo last night.
At 07:00 this morning a mechanic had fixed the malfunction.
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