Train accident in Germany

Very sad! I just read about this before coming here. :(

I send my prayers and condolences to those in the accident.

John
 
Hi everybody.
With now ten dead and more than one hundred and fifty injured I am sure in line with Johns above posting all forum members would wish to convey their sympathies and condolences to the families and friends of all the victims.

The two trains collided head on a single line despite there being dual train protection systems fitted to the infrastructure and train(s). Regular commuters on one of the trains are stating that the one they travel on regularly normally stopped at a passing point for approximately 5 minutes each day while it awaited the opposing train to pass through the section.

In this incident the train stopped as normal but after a couple of minutes set off again before the opposing train had passed through, which was commented on by passengers prior to the incident. The foregoing obviously means that there was either a double catastrophic system failure or someone somewhere took action to override the system(s) bringing about the tragedy.

As both drivers were killed in the incident, investigators will be relying on the trains tachograph recorders and information derived from the signalling system in finding the cause.

Bill

 
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I second John's post above, and wholbr's comments; Condolences to all affected.

The wikipedia article this morning had some speculation in it which has since been removed.
Very big list of media references to this event. The investigations proceed and the final reports doubtless illuminating.
 
A tragic event whatever the cause, image the horror of the drivers last few seconds when they knew what was going to happen but could do nothing.

Having lost a friend in the Great Heck accident (in the UK some 15 years ago) I can, just, begin to understand what the families and friends of the dead and injured are going through. Lets not forget also the men & women of the emergency services who had to deal with the aftermath, not a pleasant task.

Our thought are with you.

CM
 
Hi everybody.
The head-on train crash in southern Germany that killed 11 people and injured more than 80 others on the 9th of February upon which this thread was started, was caused by a train dispatcher’s “human error”, a state prosecutor has advised. The prosecutor further stated that that a criminal investigation had been launched against the 39-year-old railway employee on suspicion of negligent homicide, bodily harm and interference with rail traffic.

The two trains collided on a single track and the investigation team believe the dispatcher had given “a special signal which should not have been given” which had the effect of overriding the automated stopping signal. After the dispatcher realised his error, he had attempted to make two emergency calls to try to stop the trains but was unable to prevent the collision. The prosecutor further commented “ If the employee had behaved according to the rules he had been trained in and was obliged to carry out, the trains would not have collided”.

The above incident is one of the largest train accidents in recent German railway history. The dispatcher is at present on full pay suspension from his employment. However, If convicted, the he could face up to five years in prison.

Bill

 
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