Breathe a sigh of relief as the train passes by
The ASY22 freight train had just passed through the Chi Thanh tunnel safely. Behind them, the workers of Phu Khanh Railway Joint Stock Company breathed a sigh of relief, emotion evident in each person's eyes.
Wiping sweat from his face, Mr. Le Van Tu - a worker of the company smiled as he looked at the train that he and the workers here had been waiting for more than 10 days.
Mr. Tu said that he has been working in the railway industry for many years, so landslides and train jams like this are not uncommon. However, every time the trains run smoothly from North to South, he feels extremely happy.
Chi Thanh Tunnel was opened at noon on May 31, the North-South railway was back to normal. Photo: Quang Dat.
"When the last meters of the tunnel were dug through, it felt like the countdown to New Year's Eve. Then when standing from the North tunnel entrance and seeing the light from the South tunnel entrance, everyone's hearts were excited again, everyone was waiting every second, every minute for the train to pass, just like waiting for a very important event in life," Mr. Tu shared.
At the guardhouse of tunnel No. 17 (Km 1168+438), right at the North gate of Chi Thanh tunnel, Mr. Phung The Anh (33 years old) - head of the construction train of Nha Trang Railway Transport Branch packed his personal belongings, put them in a bag and left the tunnel.
Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railway Corporation, was moved to thank the workers of Phu Khanh Railway Joint Stock Company for their efforts to soon open the Chi Thanh tunnel. Photo: Quang Dat.
Mr. The Anh, who is on duty at Dieu Tri station (Tuy Phuoc district, Binh Dinh), said that more than 10 days ago, when he heard about the landslide in Chi Thanh tunnel, he immediately went to the scene to control the construction train to transport machinery, equipment, and materials to repair the landslide. When he heard the news, he set off, bringing with him only a few worn-out clothes and personal necessities.
Video of Chi Thanh railway tunnel:
Chi Thanh Tunnel was opened to traffic this afternoon (May 31, 2024).
"After 10 days here, I haven't been able to return to my wife, children, or family. I've gotten used to eating at the construction site and breathing the dust from the tunnel. But most of all, I feel very sad. Sad not because of the strange scenery, but because of the lack of passing trains.
The moment the tunnel was opened, I felt an indescribable feeling. Perhaps only those in the profession like my brothers and I can understand this feeling best. The sound of the train whistle and the image of the seamlessly connected train cars running through have become an indispensable part, like a dish, a day without it feels bland," Mr. The Anh shared.
Having said that, Phung The Anh carried his belongings to Chi Thanh station to return to his family. As he walked, he turned back, silently hoping for the trains to be safe.
Mr. Phung The Anh happily returned home after 10 days of staying in Chi Thanh tunnel to overcome landslides. Photo: Quang Dat.
Also at the Bac Chi Thanh guardhouse, tunnel guard Tran Van Em was moved to tears as he watched the train pass by: "The feeling of the train passing by is truly happy. The past 10 days have been really long for a veteran tunnel guard like me. I just hope that the railway will connect the North and South without any more incidents, so that passengers can soon return to their families and loved ones."
Relentless efforts
To safely pass the Chi Thanh tunnel at noon on May 31, it was the efforts of the investor, Project Management Board 85, the railway industry and the strong direction of the Ministry of Transport right from the moment the tunnel collapsed.
Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Railway Corporation, was moved to thank the construction workers at the tunnel landslide incident. Mr. Tuan said that in the past days, they had endured many hardships, working in a difficult and dangerous environment.
"Having these smooth and safe trains is the result of the tireless efforts of the construction units, railway workers, and the strong direction of the investor. Everyone has been working together on the scene, overcoming difficulties to clear the tunnel in the shortest time possible.
The geology of the Chi Thanh tunnel area is complex, the level of landslides is serious, but the tunnel was cleared in 10 days is very remarkable. Overcoming these difficulties, we will overcome other difficulties, other incidents if they occur," Mr. Tuan shared.
Deo Ca Group was mobilized by Project Management Board 85 to support the early opening of Chi Thanh tunnel. Photo: Quang Dat.
To overcome this problem, the investor, Project Management Board 85, the railway industry mobilized hundreds of workers to work 24/7 to urgently construct. Then, due to the complexity of the Chi Thanh tunnel landslide, Deo Ca Group was also reinforced to coordinate in overcoming the landslide and soon open the train.
According to calculations, the volume of landslide in Chi Thanh railway tunnel is about 400m3 and the area of the sinkhole is much larger than the previous incident in Bai Gio railway tunnel (Khanh Hoa), so the work to be handled and repaired is much larger.
Mr. Nguyen Tan Dong, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deo Ca Group, said that the geology of the Chi Thanh railway tunnel is completely weathered rock and soil, which is very susceptible to landslides if there are no suitable construction measures. In addition, the tunnel mouth location has no road access, so to bring machinery to the construction site, it is necessary to go around the railway.
According to Mr. Dong, unlike road tunnels, railway tunnels have a small cross-section, only about 19m3. The construction space is narrow while the landslide volume is very large, making it very difficult to release the soil and rocks as well as arrange the construction teams. The unit has arranged 50 workers, working 24/24 to clear the Chi Thanh tunnel after 4 days of reinforcement.
Construction of Chi Thanh railway tunnel reinforcement (Thi Pass area, Tuy An district) under package 11A, project of reinforcing weak tunnels combined with opening new stations and renovating the upper-level architecture of Vinh - Nha Trang section. The project is invested by Project Management Board 85 (Ministry of Transport).
On May 21, during the renovation and repair of the railway tunnel, a mass of rock and soil suddenly collapsed, blocking the tunnel. North-South railway traffic from La Hai station to Chi Thanh and vice versa was completely paralyzed. The cause of the landslide was determined to be geological, weathered rock and soil combined with a thin layer of cover on the tunnel roof (about 25m) leading to the landslide.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/vo-oa-thoi-khac-thong-ham-chi-thanh-sau-10-ngay-bi-sat-lo-192240531142711264.htm
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