Electrical cable thieves paralysed train service in parts of western Germany overnight, with some delays expected to last until midday on Friday.
A spokeswoman for state rail operator Deutsche Bahn said the situation in the Ruhr region and in the north of North Rhine-Westphalia normalized somewhat during rush hour on Friday morning, but trains were still unable to run at Bochum main station, near Dusseldorf.
Long-distance trains were widely diverted. There were also cancellations and diversions on regional services and suburban trains. The spokeswoman said that the disruption in Bochum was expected to last until midday on Friday.
Due to the cable theft, the Bochum signal box is no longer operational. In addition, radio traffic in the north of North Rhine-Westphalia was disrupted by the crime during the night, said the railway spokeswoman.
Train drivers were unable to reach the signal boxes and were therefore not allowed to continue their journeys for safety reasons. According to the railway, freight trains and around 20 passenger lines were affected.
