Weak ground under railroad tracks: Slower speeds, fewer extra trains expected

The weak ground under the Dutch railroad tracks may cause problems for train traffic in part of the country. There is a risk of track subsidence. As a result, trains will have to run slower in some places, or fewer extra trains can run than planned. NS is also concerned about future timetables due to the weak ground, a spokesperson said after a report by Treinreizen.nl.

"Now, in times of the coronavirus, the train is still half full, but we expect an enormous growth of travelers in the future, with a view of the housing shortage and the climate goals. Then we want to be able to use faster and more trains, which may not be possible in some places," the spokesperson for NS said. "Of course, we want six trains per hour between Utrecht and Leiden and faster to Berlin, but only if that is possible."

About a third of the Dutch train track is on weak ground. "Trains are running faster and faster, more often, and are also heavier. The track can only take a certain weight, and the tracks are over a hundred years old in many places. Especially in the west of the country, where there is a lot of soft peat soil, this can lead to track subsidence," said a ProRail spokesperson.

In dozens of places, this is already hindering the planned timetable. It remains to be seen whether additional sprinters can run between The Hague and Rotterdam because of the soil near Schiedam, according to ProRail. Sprinters are even used as intercity trains between Leiden and Utrecht because they are lighter and therefore less of a burden for the track.

Trains also have to run slower in some places. The fast ten-minute trains are a problem on the Amsterdam-Eindhoven route, which means that trains have to slow down at Culemborg. Between Amsterdam and Utrecht, trains can only run at 140 kilometers per hour instead of 160 kilometers per hour. Night trains, like the new one to Zurich, can't run faster than 100 kilometers per hour between Utrecht and Arnhem because they are relatively heavy.

ProRail launched a major investigation to identify where soil problems exist and which measures are needed to address them. The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. ProRail is also working with research institute Deltares and TU Delft on another long-term study into subsidence. "This really does not come as a surprise. We have been working on this for years," said the spokesperson for ProRail.