Meerbusch train crash

The Meerbusch train crash occurred on 5 December 2017 when a passenger train ran into the rear of a freight train near Meerbusch, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Fifty people were injured, nine seriously.

Meerbusch train crash
The wrecked passenger train at train accident site near Meerbusch on 8 Dec 2017
Details
Date5 December 2017
19:30 CET (18:30 UTC)
LocationMeerbusch, North Rhine-Westphalia
CountryGermany
LineKrefeld - Neuss line
OperatorDB Cargo
National Express Germany
Incident typeRear-end collision
CauseUnder investigation
Statistics
Trains2
Passengers155
Injured50

Accident

At about 19:30 CET (18:30 UTC), a passenger train operated by National Express Germany ran into the rear of a freight train operated by DB Cargo near Meerbusch-Osterath station, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The driver of the passenger train was able to give a warning before the collision occurred.[1] Fifty people were injured, nine seriously and three with moderate injuries.[2][3] The train was carrying 155 passengers.[4] The passenger train was travelling from Krefeld to Neuss. The freight train was travelling from Dillingen, Saarland to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands.[1] The rear three wagons of the freight train were derailed.[2] The leading carriage of the Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple unit which formed the passenger train was severely damaged.[1] The rescue of passengers was hampered by fallen power cables,[5] which were made safe by Deutsche Bahn. More than 200 firefighters assisted in the rescue efforts. The line between Düsseldorf and Krefeld was closed.[3]

Cleanup of the accident aftermath

Investigation

The Eisenbahn-Unfalluntersuchungsstelle des Bundes (EUB) opened an investigation into the accident.[6] It was reported that the passenger train may have incorrectly been given permission to pass a signal indicating “stop”.[2] Having been given permission, the driver should have proceeded at a speed not exceeding 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) and have been able to stop in the distance he could see ahead, but the rear signs of freight trains are normally not illuminated and poorly visible.[7]

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References
  1. Oliphant, Vickie (5 December 2017). "Railway crash injures five - more than 100 trapped as passenger train hits freight train". Daily Express. Express Newspapers. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  2. "Regionalzug fuhr auf falschem Gleis" [Regional train drove on wrong track] (in German). RP Online. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  3. "Dutzende Verletzte bei Zugunglück in Meerbusch" [Dozens injured in train crash in Meerbusch] (in German). Der Spiegel. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  4. "Germany train: Collision near Düsseldorf injures six". BBC News Online. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  5. "Dozens injured in a train collision in Meerbusch, Germany". Euronews. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  6. "Untersuchungen zur Zugkollision zwischen Abzw Weißenberg und Meerbusch-Osterath aufgenommen" [Investigation into train collision between Abzw Weißenberg and Meerbusch-Osterath started] (in German). Bundestelle für Eisenbahnunfalluntersuchung. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  7. "Dritter Zug beteiligt Kette des Versagens löste Unglück von Meerbusch" [Third train involved in a chain of failures that triggered the Meerbusch disaster] (in German). Kölner Stadt Anzeiger. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.

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