Fatal Czech RegioJet Crash

[Willbridge]

On the evening of June 5th, a head-on crash between a RegioJet train and a freight took the lives of four passengers. Both engineers survived. RJ1021 is an overnight connection from Prague into Slovakia and on to the Ukrainian border.

A preliminary report was that the passenger train passed a signal at danger, but a more thorough investigation was underway.

Source:
https://www.railjournal.com/regions...m_source=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=46542

https://english.radio.cz/four-die-czechias-most-tragic-two-train-crash-decades-8819243

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

They’re also pulling all of there couchette out of service. Seem this is the second time the couchette had crushed in a bad way. The first time was a shunting accident.

 

[Willbridge]

It seems that this is falling into the classic implementation gap, like the NEC Philadelphia crash or the RI/Q crash in the 1950's. The old system was switched off, but the new system was not on yet.

Here's an updated Google translation.

Statement of the Railway Administration

The method of traffic management during the period of closures and construction works was in accordance with the Act on Railways, Decree 173/95 Coll. This is a completely standard procedure. On the other hand, after the modernization, ETCS will operate on a larger scale than before the construction, now for all train paths in the station.

In accordance with the national implementation plan, the exclusive operation under ETCS will start to apply on our busiest lines from 1 January 2025. The Railway Administration is installing the track part of the ETCS system, at the moment we have the system installed on approx. 1000 km of lines. Everything continues according to the set schedule.

For the sake of completeness, we add that according to the company owner, the train was not equipped with a safety device.

As for the investigation of the accident, it is under the responsibility of the Railway Inspection and the Police of the Czech Republic. It can be stated that, according to the Railway Inspectorate, before the accident in Pardubice, express train Ex 1021 missed a signal in a position prohibiting driving. Whether it was a technical fault, human error or a combination of both factors is the subject of a detailed investigation that may take several months.

Knowing the tragic balance of the Pardubice railway accident, we would like to emphasize that similar accidents are completely rare, and the event does not change the fact that the railway is the safest mode of transport in the long term.

 

[BlackDiamond]

They’re also pulling all of there couchette out of service. Seem this is the second time the couchette had crushed in a bad way. The first time was a shunting accident.

Apparently these cars crumpled like they were made of aluminum foil, according to what I have seen on other sites. Something to consider when people complain that our car crash standards are too restrictive.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Apparently these cars crumpled like they were made of aluminum foil, according to what I have seen on other sites. Something to consider when people complain that our car crash standards are too restrictive.

Actually our crash standards are for end buffers. A middle of the car bend/fold over like the one in this accident, still would happen with the US standards. Think the Sliver Star in South Carolina when the cafe car was bend in half.

That said our couplers are better which may of keep the impact force from twisting and bending the first railcar behind the locomotive during this impact. The impact force is going someplace, in this case it was the couchette behind the locomotive.

 

[jis]

Actually our crash standards are for end buffers. A middle of the car bend/fold over like the one in this accident, still would happen with the US standards. Think the Sliver Star in South Carolina when the cafe car was bend in half.

That said our couplers are better which may of keep the impact force from twisting and bending the first railcar behind the locomotive during this impact. The impact force is going someplace, in this case it was the couchette behind the locomotive.

It is possible that the coupler was chain link, which would provide next to no protection that one gets from tight lock CBC (Center Buffer Coupler) like the AAR H couplers. These cars being old most likely also don't have any CEM (Collision Energy Management) zones. Each individually, or both together will have a net negative impact in a collision.