Foto: BB.LV / Историческое здание железнодорожного вокзала, построенное в 1868 году, целиком поднимают и перемещают на новое место.
As [reported](https://nos.nl/artikel/2637244-megaoperatie-in-vught-monumentaal-stationsgebouw-wordt-opgetild-en-verplaatst) by the Dutch public broadcaster NOS, the operation is set to begin between 8:00 and 9:00 AM. By midday, the 28-meter-long and 9.5-meter-wide building is planned to be installed at its new location. Why was it necessary to move the station? The reason for the unusual relocation is the modernization of the railway infrastructure. The Netherlands is implementing a program to increase the capacity of its railways. Starting in 2030, more trains are planned to run between Meteren and Boxtel. To achieve this, a fourth railway track needs to be constructed between Den Bosch and Vught. It will run below ground level — precisely where the historic station building currently stands. Leaving the structure in its original location and rerouting the tracks around it turned out to be impossible. Dismantling the station and then reassembling it was also not permitted: the building has the status of a national architectural monument. Therefore, engineers decided to move it entirely, even preserving the historic basement. ### 40 centimeters at a time: how they move 720 tons A special technology was developed for the relocation of the building. First, the structure is lifted, after which a massive concrete construction resembling a giant tray is placed underneath it. A special sliding system is installed under the concrete platform, allowing the building to be gradually shifted in the desired direction. In one cycle, the station moves only 40 centimeters. To cover the distance of 13.6 meters, 34 such movements will be required. After the operation is completed, the building will be 32 centimeters lower than its previous level. The director of the company responsible for the move, Taco Bresser, told the regional TV channel DTV Nieuws that the likelihood of serious problems arising is low. According to him, the structure is in good technical condition, and the distance it needs to be moved is relatively small. Nevertheless, throughout the operation, the condition of the building will be monitored by special measuring devices. If the equipment detects deviations or if weather conditions turn unfavorable, work may be suspended.  _Pro Rail_ ### The station that remembers World War II The historical significance of the station is not only related to its age. During World War II, the Vught station played a tragic role in the deportation of thousands of Jews and other prisoners who were transported to and from the Vught concentration camp. However, this place is also associated with a story of human courage. The station master Willem Joren, who lived directly above the station, helped the prisoners being sent through Vught. He provided them with food, tobacco, warm clothing, and helped some avoid deportation. The basement of the station played a special role in this activity. It was there that Joren hid people, saving them from the German occupying authorities. In 1984, for his involvement in the resistance, he was posthumously awarded the Resistance Memorial Cross. Joren's granddaughters — Aget, Gerdi, and Marianna — researched their grandfather's history and are particularly pleased that the historic building will be preserved along with the basement. ### Why does the Netherlands need another railway track? The relocation of the station is part of a large-scale government program for the development of high-frequency rail services, which has been implemented since 2010. Its goal is to increase the number of trains on the busiest routes. On some routes, it is planned to achieve nearly "metro-like" frequency of service — up to six trains per hour. Currently, most of these sections have between two and four trains running every hour. ### The unusual relocation can be watched live The relocation of the historic station has become a real event for the city's residents. For those who wish to see the engineering operation in person, a special viewing platform has been set up near the station, open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. In addition, NOS [organized](https://nos.nl/livestream/2637184-twee-meter-per-uur-kijk-live-mee-hoe-station-vught-langzaam-opschuift) a live broadcast of the building's relocation. Thus, the building, which has stood in one place for over a century and a half, is set to make a journey of just 13.6 meters — for the construction of a new railway line and the preservation of historical memory.
