Romanian Simeria‑Arad Railway Line Operates Trains via Phone Calls and Handwritten Notes

The Association Pro Infrastructură reports that on a 10‑kilometre stretch of the Simeria‑Arad railway (Magistrala 200) between Ilia and Câmpuri Surduc, train movements are coordinated through telephone agreements between dispatchers. Mechanics receive handwritten notes, delivered on a bicycle, authorising them to temporarily disable automatic stop equipment and pass red signals.

The association says two serious incidents have already occurred, including a case where a mechanic entered a non‑electrified line, leaving an intercity train (521) immobilised for several hours until a diesel locomotive arrived. It warns that human error, phone failures or bicycle delays could lead to collisions, despite a maximum speed limit of 60 km/h. Pro Infrastructură calls for permanent safety solutions, noting that hundreds of millions of euros have been invested in modern European‑standard signalling systems since 2017, which remain under‑utilised because of the current “free line” practice.