Analysis of Dangerous Goods Transport by Rail

The Danish Transport Authority is responsible for railway safety in Denmark, including the approval of railway infrastructure and vehicles, as well as overseeing safety on the railways. This includes the transport of dangerous goods by rail according to regulations BJ 5 070.001-2017, which set quantity limits for the transport of explosives in the Storebælt and Øresund tunnels. Specifically, the limits are 5 tons per wagon in the Storebælt tunnel and 1 ton per wagon in the Øresund tunnel. The Transport Authority requires a report that includes a risk assessment to determine whether these quantity limits are still safe or need adjustment based on recent developments. This assessment will consider scenarios where a freight train carrying explosives operates in the tunnel without concurrent passenger trains. Additionally, with the upcoming Femern connection expected to open in 2029, the report should also address potential quantity limits for transporting explosives in the Femern tunnels. Furthermore, the report must analyze the safety risks of allowing a passenger train and a freight train carrying other dangerous goods to operate in the same tunnel simultaneously. The analysis should also outline any distance requirements between railway cars to minimize the risk of detonation transfer between individual wagons (e.g., whether an empty wagon should be placed between wagons carrying over xx kg of explosives). The contractor must deliver a report that includes: • Risk analysis and scenario assessment • Evaluation of safety measures • Economic and operational analysis.