Freight Train Derailed in Hokkaido Again 22 Jun 14

[gmat]

Saw a bit on this on the Sunday NHK Evening News. Found this news article.

 

 

http://www.enews163.com/2014/06/22/hokkaido-japan-a-freight-train-derailment-accident-occurred-no-casualties-18129.html

 

Lots of train pictures on the news the past couple of days. Too bad it wasn't good. 

 

Best wishes,

Grant

[cteno4]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/06/22/national/freighter-train-derails-hokkaido-injuries-reported/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=freighter-train-derails-hokkaido-injuries-reported

[Sacto1985]

Not a good place to have a derailment, since Kikonai is on the main rail line that connects Honshu and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel.

[bikkuri bahn]

Sigh. The train was bound for Utsunomiya, originating in Sapporo.  Apparently it derailed about 1km (!) from where it finally stopped- you can see in the video where the dragging wheels split the concrete sleepers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to0B67PHGIM

[Sacto1985]

Around 1,000 meters?! Having to replace all the ties (and possibly replace the rails) near Kikonai could take weeks, unless they have fast-working track-laying crews like they have here in the USA.

[Densha]

It just doesn't stop... everything keeps going wrong with JR Hokkaido... although this time it could be a broken axle or something that is JRF's responsibility.

[bikkuri bahn]

The line has returned to normal service as of today. The line was closed for around 40 hours due to the derailment. JR Hokkaido had to replace around 550 concrete sleepers that were damaged by the dragging bogies.  Additional details have arisen that may point to possible causes for the derailment:

 

1. the curve where the derailment began is a 350m radius left curve, with a 90mm cant.  The normal speed limit here is 65km/h for freight, 70km/h for local passenger trains, and 75km/h for limited expresses.  JR Hokkaido has imposed a 45km/h speed limit on this and other similar curves on the line indefinitely.

 

2. the container flats that derailed are apparently a special type with wheels that are 20cm larger in diameter than the standard, and this makes them harder to traverse sharp curves.  A previous derailment (in 2012) also involved this type of flatcar, which prompted JR Hokkaido to ban their use within Hokkaido.  However, it was deemed later that these flats posed no problems, so were allowed to run inside Hokkaido from February of this year.

 

3. There have been reports that the newsprint that was being carried in the containers was secured inadequately, and that this may have caused load shifting.  Apparently one of the trains which had previously derailed in this area also had improperly secured newsprint cargo.

 

*compiled from reports in the Hokkaido Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, and local TV news