Driverless tractor causes chaos on the railway line near Schwäbisch Gmünd

Driverless tractor causes chaos on the railway line near Schwäbisch Gmünd

On August 30, 2025, an incident occurred in Baden-Württemberg that had a significant impact on the traffic situation. A driverless tractor rolled over railway tracks near Schwäbisch Gmünd, in the Ostalb district, and damaged the overhead line. The vehicle's handbrake came off, causing the tractor to roll onto the tracks around 300 meters from where it was parked. After contact with the overhead power line, the tractor fell onto its side. As a result, the railway line between Schwäbisch Gmünd and Böbingen was closed for salvage and repair work Schwäbische.de reported.

The tractor was driven by a 65-year-old driver who was not in the immediate vicinity at the time of the incident. Fortunately, there were no injuries or similar serious damage to people in this incident. However, the situation could have ended more seriously if the tractor had not been removed from the tracks in time.

Tragic train accident in Riedlingen

Focus.de informed.

The derailment occurred around 6 p.m. when the train was traveling at a speed of 80 km/h and lost grip on the track bed. Two bodies were recovered from the train, including the train driver and a trainee from Deutsche Bahn. The rescue situation was described as very difficult as wagons were partially wedged and rescue workers, including the volunteer fire department, were quickly on site.

Investigations and possible causes

Although it was originally assumed that 100 people were injured, this number was reduced to around 50, many of whom were seriously or very seriously injured. As a result, investigations into the cause of the accident are underway, while Interior Minister Thomas Strobl emphasized that there was no evidence of an assassination attempt or attack. District fire chief Charlotte Ziller pointed out that a landslide caused by heavy rainfall may have been the cause of the accident. Rescue dogs are searching for more people under the rubble, but the prospect of more victims is alarming.

The two incidents in Baden-Württemberg, the driverless tractor and the train accident, illustrate the challenges in the area of ​​road safety. While the tractor accident fortunately turned out to be minor, the train accident shows how quickly an everyday event can turn into a tragedy.