Dozens killed in Greece train crash

[rjfp1962]

Terrible accident in which a passenger train, carrying mainly students, crashes head-on with a freight train..

https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-26-people-kill...

Edited by rjfp1962 on Wednesday 1st March 11:00

[gotoPzero]

Looks like its happened right as the passenger train was coming out of a tunnel.

[ChocolateFrog]

Will be interesting to see whose fault it was.

[Vasco]

Local stationmaster arrested........... Government transport minister resigned......... Reports of poor electronic systems........

[gregs656]

Train accidents scare the hell out of me, absolutely horrific.

[Earthdweller]

Vasco said:

Local stationmaster arrested........... Government transport minister resigned......... Reports of poor electronic systems........

Their railways as good as their roads then

[Vasco]

Now 43 dead

[rjfp1962]

Vasco said:

Now 43 dead

I've just seen some footage on Channel 4 News, and the instant fireball when the trains collided was awful.
I can see that number climbing sadly... and DNA being the only way to identify some of these victims...

[dreamcracker]

Vasco said:

Local stationmaster arrested........... Government transport minister resigned......... Reports of poor electronic systems........

News report on TV stated the trains rely on phone calls and text messages for signalling. Not good!

[toastyhamster]

Can't understand how 2 trains running in opposite directions end up on the same track, even with manual signalling. Surely that's not normal even with the reportedly poor state of the Greek railway system?

[Vasco]

toastyhamster said:

Can't understand how 2 trains running in opposite directions end up on the same track, even with manual signalling. Surely that's not normal even with the reportedly poor state of the Greek railway system?

Is it single track ?

[valiant]

toastyhamster said:

Can't understand how 2 trains running in opposite directions end up on the same track, even with manual signalling. Surely that's not normal even with the reportedly poor state of the Greek railway system?

Seems to be single tracked with NO signalling and trains authorised via radio.

Accident waiting to happen if it’s proved to be the case.

[mac96]

Two tracks visible in the photographs, so one train on the wrong track.

[Teddy Lop]

valiant said:

toastyhamster said:

Can't understand how 2 trains running in opposite directions end up on the same track, even with manual signalling. Surely that's not normal even with the reportedly poor state of the Greek railway system?

Seems to be single tracked with NO signalling and trains authorised via radio.

Accident waiting to happen if it’s proved to be the case.

Very recently modernised double track line, carrying high speed trains.

There's a few single track branch lines and industrial sidings so you might suspect an errant freight train but looking at the layout I'd wager the passenger train being released on the wrong line.

[Panamax]

gregs656 said:

Train accidents scare the hell out of me, absolutely horrific.

Check out the 1988 crash in UK near Clapham Junction. THREE trains involved. Nasty incident in a cutting that was difficult for fire and ambulance to reach. There used to be a decent memorial garden but now all that remains is a little concrete thing on the pavement.

Fortunately modern trains tend to be of monocoque construction. Older trains, such as crashed at Clapham, were "body on frame" and one frame could override another, reducing the wooden passenger compartment and the people in it to fragments.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clapham_Junction_rai...

[Vasco]

Teddy Lop said:

valiant said:

toastyhamster said:

Can't understand how 2 trains running in opposite directions end up on the same track, even with manual signalling. Surely that's not normal even with the reportedly poor state of the Greek railway system?

Seems to be single tracked with NO signalling and trains authorised via radio.

Accident waiting to happen if it’s proved to be the case.

Very recently modernised double track line, carrying high speed trains.

There's a few single track branch lines and industrial sidings so you might suspect an errant freight train but looking at the layout I'd wager the passenger train being released on the wrong line.

It'll all be fine, they've found someone to blame....

From all accounts, the Greek train network is a shambles and there's been little interest in improving safeguards.

[Ian Geary]

I wonder how much of that lack of safety is tied up in their perma-crisis finances?

Though from comments I've seen, the paucity of their rail safety predates their euro driven financial implosion.

Safety costs though, and the money will have to come from someone?

I'm sure Germany have got some reassuringly expensive trains they can sell to Greece.

[Vasco]

Ian Geary said:

I wonder how much of that lack of safety is tied up in their perma-crisis finances?

Though from comments I've seen, the paucity of their rail safety predates their euro driven financial implosion.

Safety costs though, and the money will have to come from someone?

I'm sure Germany have got some reassuringly expensive trains they can sell to Greece.

I don't think it's much to do with money, more likely to relate to the Greek approach to life in general, plus corruption.

[Biker 1]

Vasco said:

I don't think it's much to do with money, more likely to relate to the Greek approach to life in general, plus corruption.

Sounds like pretty much all Mediterranean countries - must be the hot sun

[Octoposse]

Vasco said:

From all accounts, the Greek train network is a shambles and there's been little interest in improving safeguards.

Sort of thing I would have found incomprehensible, but that same statement could now be said about lots of things in the UK - Probation, environmental protection / enforcement, sewage and surface drainage, education, hospitals, the justice system, vetting and recruitment of Police officers, Ambulance, investigation of crimes that aren’t speeding or murder, road maintenance . . .