Administrative court: Switzerland cannot apply different standards

Switzerland cannot impose its own safety requirements on freight wagons operating across Europe, according to a ruling by the country’s federal administrative court. The decision supports a harmonized European approach to inspections and maintenance.

Under recommendations published on Aug. 7 by the Joint Network Secretariat, freight wagons will undergo inspections every 50,000 to 300,000 kilometers. The interval will depend on the type and diameter of the wheel. Previously, inspections could take place after 660,000 kilometers.

The new procedure resulted from a European Union agreement coordinated by the European Union Agency for Railways. It replaces recommendations from Switzerland’s National Investigation Authority with procedures intended to apply across the European Union rail network. Swiss Federal Railways had sought to introduce separate national requirements, but the court halted that approach in a ruling issued on Aug. 25.

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Europe cannot operate a cross-border freight wagon fleet while applying different approaches to safety at every border.

Gilles Peterhans, secretary-general of the International Union of Wagon Keepers, said Europe could not operate a cross-border freight fleet with different safety approaches at every border. He said the Joint Network Secretariat procedure allows authorities and industry representatives to address safety risks jointly at the European level. The union said differing national rules would create legal and operational uncertainty for wagon owners, rail operators, maintenance bodies and their customers.

Rail authorities link the stricter focus on wheels to several serious accidents, including the derailment of 16 wagons in the Gotthard Tunnel in August 2023. The cleanup and tunnel repairs took 13 months and cost 150 million Swiss francs. The wheel reportedly cracked after overheating caused by friction between composite brake blocks and the wheel. Switzerland’s proposed rules would require wheels to retain a diameter of at least 864 millimeters by Dec. 31, 2027, compared with a nominal diameter of 920 millimeters and a minimum worn diameter of 840 millimeters.

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The Joint Network Secretariat procedure enables authorities and industry representatives to solve problems related to safety risks jointly at the European level.