Unusual accident in Belgium

Following a collision with a car on a level crossing at Morlanwelz (Wallonia) a fire burnt out the driver's cabin of the EMU involved. There were no injuries.
Later in the day it seems the EMU was split into two halves of 3 carriages each (accidentaly or not is not yet clear) whereupon one half ran away for 14km, killing two PWay workers on the way, before crashing into a stationary second EMU at Bracquenies .

A picture of the final collision is here:
https://scontent.fams1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/ ... e=5ACEEDD3
and there is already a Wkipedia entry on it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morlanwelz_train_collision_and_runaway
and a local newspaper article, in French:
http://www.sudinfo.be/1999637/artic...trois-derniers-wagons-ne-se-sont-pas-detaches

Extraordinary!

 

Germany train: Collision near Düsseldorf injures dozens

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-42246087

 

Ah this would have been reported in the UK as 'an incident' with a generic photograph and some police tape. How refreshing to see some actual photographs.
Note how the cab has been left intact, the force being taken by the frame further along. Looks like good design there.
Whatever happened to the block system.....?

 

Not "Preservation", thus off track, but...
Runaway during rescue operation reminds us in Sweden of a most tragic event 25 years ago.
A Gothenburg tram was stuck in an intersection without overhead power and the automatic brakes were on.
A traffic manager from the tram company ordered that the brakes should be released manually, with the intention that it would be possible to apply them when the tram reached a section with power.
But this was not possible as the whole electronic control system would be needed to restart and this operation was against the rule book.
The tram ran away, steep downhill, reached 100 kmph, derailed, hit 40 people in the street and killed 13 of them (no passengers on board).
https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/inloggad/sparvagnen-skenade-13-dog-pa-hallplatsen/
A police car saw what was happening and drove in front of the tram with lights and sirens, trying to warn people. But still dire results.

So, what does this has to to with heritage railways? I guess:
1. Follow the rules (they are there for a reason)
2. If you have to improvize, do a risk analysis first.

 

Not only are the rules there for a reason, but they are usually the result of a painful lesson learned.

If there is any doubt, get someone else to suggest their opinion, if they differ from you, then think again.

 

This is reminicent of the Paris suburban train where the driver released the brakes and could not stop in time before the train hit the buffers

 

To coin a phrase, the railway rulebook is developed from 200 years of f*** up’s...

 

You know, it also reminds me of the Northern Line rail grinder incident.
https://www.gov.uk/raib-reports/runaway-of-an-engineering-train-from-highgate-13-august-2010


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It does too! Very similar.
The sad thing at Morlanwelz was that the the EMU separated some distance away, and then rolled back to where it had come from, killing two of the workers busy repairing the track at the level crossing where the first accident (with the car, and the fire) took place.
No further news at the moment as to how the two halves of the EMU separated.