The Castielertobel Viaduct
The Castielertobel Viaduct was constructed in 1913 to allow trains to navigate the rugged terrain of the Canton of Graubünden, which lies close to Davis in the Swiss Alps.
Source: Wikimedia
The bridge cuts through a heavily forested region of Alpine trees against a backdrop of alluring mountains. It long served as an iconic landmark in the region until it met a violent end this year.
Aging Bridge Begins to Experience Problems
For more than 100 years, the bridge towered 175 ft above the deep gorge. However, Metro reports that the aging railway began to encounter structural problems recently.
Source: Wikimedia
The bridge was owned by Rhaetian Railway, a Swiss transportation company. In 2019, during a routine inspection, they discovered the bridge’s steel structure was badly damaged and decided to dismantle the aging landmark.
Blowing Up the Bridge
Following the investigation, officials decided to demolish the bridge using dynamite on its two 164-foot pillars in May. However, it recently came to light that this was, in fact, illegal.
Source: Wikimedia
Initially, the bridge owner applied for a permit, which sought to demolish the bridge using conventional methods rather than explosives. This came after the government informed the owners that destruction with dynamite was prohibited.
The Swiss Federal Office of Transport Got Involved
According to the Swiss Federal Office of Transport, they should have first authorized the demolition.
Source: Freepik
A spokesperson for the Federal agency, Michael Mueller, said the following in an interview: “The RhB expressly ruled out blasting for the dismantling of the Castieler viaduct. The fact that blasting was carried out now, despite this, contradicts this approval and is therefore illegal.”
Police Open an Investigation
Following the destruction of the bridge using dynamite, the Swiss police were instructed to investigate the matter and determine how the mix-up happened.
Source: Wikimedia
The canton’s public prosecutor has been fully engaged in conducting a preliminary investigation, hoping to discern whether any crimes were committed. However, it appears they have openly admitted there was nothing wrong with the demolition so far as local laws are concerned.
Federal Spokesperson Calls Out Canton’s Decision
BAV Spokesperson Mueller issued a later statement, claiming that the canton’s judgment on the situation was insufficient and that more needs to be done.
Source: Freepik
“Construction and dismantling of railway facilities must be approved by the BAV as part of a so-called planning approval procedure. The sole statement of a cantonal authority is not enough,” he said.
Train Company Forgets to Speak With the Federal Office
A construction company informed Rhaetian Railway that their bridge needed to be demolished as it no longer met safety standards. Following this, the train company hired experts to examine the potential impact on the surrounding landscape and decided to press ahead with a demolition using explosives.
Source: Wikimedia
The train company is later quoted as having said they simply “forgot” to inform the federal office of their plans to demolish the bridge using dynamite.
Rhaetian Railway Spokesperson
According to Christina Florin, who currently heads infrastructure at Rhaetian Railway, she explained on behalf of the company that, looking back, they should have informed the Federal Office of Transport as the original plan didn’t include dynamite.
Source: Freepik
However, Florin explained that there was a simple reason behind the miscommunication, claiming, “We simply forgot about this.”
The Reasons Behind the Mix-Up
According to the Rhaetian Railway’s head of infrastructure, the mix-up stems from a miscommunication. The train company was under the impression that the federal agency was in contact with the authorities who gave the green light on the demolition.
Source: Wikimedia
“We assumed that this was OK because all the authorities concerned had agreed. The federal government also relies on these authorities,” she said.
Learning From Mistakes
Florin suggests that the entire event should be seen as a learning curve, one in which all sprites involved can learn from the mistake to ensure that such an incident never occurs again.
Source: Freepik
“We have to learn from such mistakes and make a change in the future,” she said
What Happens Going Forward?
While it remains unclear whether criminal charges will be brought against those involved in the illegal demolition project, Rhaetian Railway has taken steps to protect its public image.
Source: Wikimedia
The train company has hired an environmental expert, who will work in conjunction with the Office for Nature and the Environment to examine how environmentally friendly the demolition of the bridge really was (or wasn’t).