JR Hokkaido- freight train derailment

[bikkuri bahn]

JRF container train overran red signal, derails and demolishes snow shelter.  45 trains on the Sekisho Line are cancelled.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kVLck2YBXI

[miyakoji]

So the switch was in the other position when he went over it, derailing the loco?  Spring switches always freak me out.  He said he hit the brakes, it'll be interesting to see how this progresses.

[bikkuri bahn]

I'm at work now, so I can't get audio, but from the morning news report, I thought I heard that the train was diverted into the trap point (as it's designed to do).  This line is single tracked, and these snow shelters are used to cover the points on passing sidings (loop lines).

[bikkuri bahn]

More details from the evening news:

The loop road is at Higashi Oiwake station.  The freight train approached the entry to the loop at 70km/h, however the signal was yellow, requiring reduction to 45km/h, the driver braked, but not responsive, then threw brake into emergency, but didn't stop in time, train was diverted into trap point siding, ran into the ballast pile barrier, the locomotive along with 4 container flats derailed.  The train was a 15 car container freight hauling agricultural products from Kushiro to Sapporo.  The cause of the derailment is being investigated by the JTSB, a professor of engineering at a local uni was asked the possible cause, he said either driver error or equipment failure likely.  Estimated time before restoration of services is at least several days.  

[bikkuri bahn]

English article is out:

JR Freight train derails, crashes into shelter after failing to stop at red light

 

ABIRA, Hokkaido -- A Japan Freight Railway Co. (JR Freight) train derailed and crashed into the wall of a snow shelter here after failing to stop at a red light on Feb. 16.

 

The crash happened at JR Higashi-Oiwake Station. Despite the red stop signal, the train continued and entered a short side track, continuing past the end over a gravel pile and hitting the wall. The engine derailed, followed by four of the 15 freight cars behind it. There were no injuries reported.

 

According to JR Freight and other sources, the train was signaled to stop as the schedule was off and a JR Hokkaido super-express train was coming from the opposite direction. The driver has said he tried to slow down at a yellow signal two kilometers before the station, but the train, which was moving at 95 kilometers per hour, did not respond. He says he applied the emergency brake but the train did not stop in time. JR Freight is investigating the possibility that the cold or snow reduced the brakes' effectiveness.

 

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20120217p2a00m0na008000c.html

 

*This the first mention of another train (though its obvious with the signals) and being off schedule

[westfalen]

Sounds like the driver did everything he should have if he is being truthful, unless he wasn't driving to the slippery conditions of the snow and ice because he was under pressure to make up time. I assume JR freight have to pay the passenger companies whose tracks they run on penalties for delaying passenger trains. Train drivers are damned if you do and damned if you don't, I wouldn't like to be in his shoes at the moment.

[bikkuri bahn]

More details have come out- analysis of the data recorder as well as examination of the brakes shoes on the locomotive and container flats indicated that the driver responded correctly to the situation.  Though the area the train was traversing was at that time not experiencing any heavy snowfall, prior to a service application, as per standard operating practice in winter conditions, the driver braked lightly to remove any snow buildup on the brake shoes.  After that, a service application of brakes occurred at 92km/h, however, after 500m the speed had dropped only to 85km/h, so an emergency application occurred.  A further 650m, just prior to entering the Higashi Oiwake Sta. loop, the train was signaled for 45km/h (yellow), but passed that point at 70km/h.  By the time the train entered the trap point, the train was at 46km/h and impacted and derailed 80 meters further at 40km/h.  The investigation is still undergoing, but possible causes could be slippage from ice buildup on brake shoes, and/or a defect in the air brakes or its control system, possibly exacerbated by the slight downgrade on this stretch of track.

 

The diagram is of the braking pattern of this train and the layout of Higashi Oiwake Station.  The photo is an aerial view of the station area, with the station in the upper portion and the crash site in the lower portion, where the snow shelters protect the points.

[bikkuri bahn]

Another TV report:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGJ10sOS-yc

 

A fan video of the Higashi Oiwake station area, as seen through the front of Super-Tokachi ltd. express.  The trap point is at 0:05.  

[miyakoji]

Thanks for the posts Bikkuri.  Hopefully the driver keeps his job.  Considering Hokkaido's weather, this can't be the first time such a thing has happened, although it may be the first time it's caused an accident.  I wonder if that's the end of the line for that DF200.

[westfalen]

It doesn't look like it has any serious damage like a bent frame so it shouldn't be a write off. You'd be amazed how badly damaged a loco can be yet still be repaired.

[bikkuri bahn]

Service has been restored on the Sekisho Line, as of noon Feb. 19.

[bikkuri bahn]

Recent news on the incident.  Apparently the container flats had been fitted with new experimental ceramic brake pads earlier in the month, and prior to the accident had already been in use on 10 round trips between Kushiro and Sapporo freight terminal.  The pads were designed specifically for operation in winter conditions.  As the investigation is ongoing, it's still not known if this was a factor in the cause of the brake failure.