Train derailment near Selbitz halts services for weeks in 2025
Following a train derailment in November 2025 near Selbitz in the Franconian Forest, prosecutors are reportedly investigating the locomotive driver, according to media reports. Bavarian Broadcasting (BR) reports that there is suspicion the driver may have ignored a signal. The Hof Public Prosecutor's Office has confirmed the information and is examining a possible case of dangerous interference with rail traffic. Authorities stated that the investigation is expected to be concluded promptly.
Firefighters reported shortly after the incident that the derailment was likely caused by a "misaligned switch." The affected route operates under a simplified train dispatching system known as Zugleitbetrieb, a procedure used on single-track secondary lines.
In the accident on the Hof–Bad Steben line, a railcar operated by the private rail company Agilis—a subsidiary of BahnEisenbahn Verkehrs Nachrichten (EVN)—left the tracks. While no passengers were injured, the driver suffered shock. Due to repair work, the line remained closed for nearly a month, and over 1,000 train services had to be replaced by buses, according to the report.
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