Around 9 h, cargo train H4501, 300 meters long and weighing nearly 1,000 tons, crossed Ghenh bridge from Hanoi towards TP HCM, officially reopening the north-south railway line after five days of disruption. Thirty minutes later, passenger train SE6, traveling in the opposite direction, also crossed the bridge safely.

The first train crossed Ghenh bridge after five days of incident on the morning of 11/3. Photo: Phuoc Tuan

Nguyen Quoc Vuong, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railways Corporation, stated that the first trains crossed Ghenh bridge at a stable 5 km/h. "The north-south railway line is officially reopened after many days affected by the incident", Vuong said.

According to railway leaders, after this morning's temporary train passage, units will continue to install a new span two as a replacement, ensuring original technical specifications and speed.

An 8-meter I-beam was temporarily reinforced to ensure technical safety for train passage. Photo: Phuoc Tuan

Previously, on the morning of 6/3, Pham Thanh Binh, 26 years old, from Ninh Binh, was piloting the boat Thanh Dat 86 on the Dong Nai river, heading downstream towards TP HCM. Upon reaching the intersection with the north-south railway line passing over Ghenh bridge in Bien Hoa ward, the boat directly collided with compartment five of span two of the bridge. This caused the bridge to deform, warp, and misalign the railway tracks on the bridge.

The railway industry reinforced the three deformed beams at span two with 8-meter I-steel beams and strengthened several sections of the railway tracks to ensure technical safety for train passage.

Ghenh bridge, which spans the Dong Nai river, was constructed by the French in the early 20th century. In 2016, a barge previously collided with and collapsed this bridge. Following that incident, the government commissioned the construction of the new bridge, which now features three spans. Besides the railway, the bridge also includes two lanes for motorbikes.

Phuoc Tuan