Investigation of Dutch derailing accident in January 2014

[Densha]

 

In short: ProRail, the Dutch rail infrastructure holding, bought the cheapest turnouts possible to keep costs low. They did not know however that this certain type of turnout does not allow trains to run against the position they are set, after which they change position. (so the train running over the turnout changing the position of the point blades) This was widely done though, which resulted in damaging the turnout. Eventually this led to breaking of parts that kept the point blades in place thus making the point blades able to move freely. When a train ran over it, it derailed and half of the train was diverted towards the other track on which another train was approaching.

They mentioned that the Grayrigg derailment in the UK had the same cause: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayrigg_derailment

 

The part at the beginning is quite frightening... they were lucky that they had installed a camera at this point, makes it much easier to investigate.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Densha

[kvp]

Considering that most mainline points are the locking type, cutting a turnout should trigger an alarm. Spring loaded turnouts are for trams...

[Densha]

In the video they say that this has always been practice on the Dutch railways and that older and other types of turnouts do indeed support this, but this kind of newer turnout does not. They do however also mention that this is not normal practice for railways in (most?) other countries and that they suggest to stop 'cutting' turnouts.

 

(This is an 'official independent research' by some Dutch governmental institute by the way.)

[Densha]

There is actually also an English version of the video:

 

 

Strangely enough I find the English version much clearer than the Dutch version, and it actually makes me think that what I wrote down is wrong.

The accident seems to have been caused by poor quality of the turnout and bad maintenance, which in its turn led to breaking of parts of the turnout.

Edited December 18, 2014 by Densha

[trainsforever8]

It's still good that the derailment was minor and didn't injure too many people. However, did anybody else find that these dutch trains look like Japanese limited express trains? I'm talking about the 2 ends.

[kvp]

I think that is the other way around. Old japanese trains looked like US elevated trains, then before ww2 like german streamliners, then after the war like US hood units. Later they switched to the dutch design you mentioned. Nowdays the trend has turned and the world started to copy the japanese designs.

[ozman2009]

"The accident seems to have been caused by poor quality of the turnout and bad maintenance, which in its turn led to breaking of parts of the turnout". No doubt.

 

When will managers ever learn that cutting corners is false economy, and may put the lives of people in danger?

[Densha]

It's still good that the derailment was minor and didn't injure too many people. However, did anybody else find that these dutch trains look like Japanese limited express trains? I'm talking about the 2 ends.

I think that is the other way around. Old japanese trains looked like US elevated trains, then before ww2 like german streamliners, then after the war like US hood units. Later they switched to the dutch design you mentioned. Nowdays the trend has turned and the world started to copy the japanese designs.

 

This specific train (ICM type) does looks similar to some Japanese limited express trains indeed. Originally high cabs/bonnet originates from the US and these were implemented in both Japanese and Dutch trains after WW2. Examples: Mat '64 (1964) and KiHa 81 (1968). Then the Japanese thought of putting doors beneath the high cabs to create a gangway for passengers between two consists, I believe this was done first in the 583 series (1967) (video here: http://youtu.be/djfnfZeoGzY?t=4m18s). Then it was also implemented in the 183 series (1972), the 381 series (1973) and the 485-200 series (1976). The Dutch ICM type originates from 1977, so I do believe that the Japanese were the first with the walk-through cab doors in express trains. The NS clearly based their design on those JNR express trains. So far I know the ICM is still the only train type outside of Japan that features this kind of cab. Because JNR/JR did make other train series that featured this sort of cab after the ICM type (351 series from 1993 for example), most Dutch rail fans however believe that JR stole the idea from NS.

 

I once heard in a Japanese documentary though that Japanese commuter EMUs just after WW2 were based on Dutch commuter trains. They showed a picture of the Mat '64 type there. I don't know more about Japanese trains being based off Dutch trains, but I'd be glad to hear it if anyone has any info.

 

Here a video of the coupling of an ICM type:

These cab doors have been closed off since modernisation though, as you can see here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ICM_Groningen.jpg (left one is modernized)

[kvp]

 

So far I know the ICM is still the only train type outside of Japan that features this kind of cab. 

So the japanese design predates the dutch one. Does anyone have more information about these trains:

http://www.bcoolidge.com/Netherlands%20Pix/Push-Pull%20Cab%20Diner%20at%20Amsterdam%20CS%204_74aEdited.jpg

Edited December 19, 2014 by kvp

[Densha]

That's an interesting one! Didn't even think of that. Those are dining cars from the early 1950's that were rebuilt in 1973-1974 into driving cab cars for push-pull service on the intercity service Amsterdam - Brussels. Only a few of them have been made.

 

But note that these driving cab cars did not have a gangway at the front, they only had a high cab which I think is copied from American trains rather than Japanese, but that is something we will probably never find out.

 

Some pics:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cklx/4391480217

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cklx/2663014025

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cklx/3984000951

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cklx/7030222605

[Mudkip Orange]

 

Originally high cabs/bonnet originates from the US and these were implemented in both Japanese and Dutch trains after WW2. Examples: Mat '64 (1964) and KiHa 81

 

That Kiha 81 is a GM design if I've ever seen one.

[bikkuri bahn]

Examples: Mat '64 (1964) and KiHa 81 (1968).

 

The original kiha 81 "lion head"* driving cars were introduced in 1960, and were displayed at the Asian Railways Conference Exhibition held in Kunitachi in October, 1960.

 

http://rail.hobidas.com/blog/natori09/archives/2007/06/post_553.html

 

*the nose compartment housed a diesel engine for lights, hvac, and such.

Edited December 20, 2014 by bikkuri bahn

[Densha]

Thanks! I already thought it was from an earlier year, but couldn't find any confirmation for it.

 

Actually I forgot to mention the Mat '54 type, the predecessor of the Mat '64: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mat_%2754 (the numbers tell the year they're from, so Mat '54 is from 1954)

Funny that you call them lion heads (is that an official nickname?), because the nickname for Mat '54 is dog head and the nickname for Mat '64 monkey head.

 

 

There's also a lot of other very valuable info on that website, with Shinkansen artist impressions and talk about freight-Shinkansen that were never built. I actually read about those freight-Shinkansen in a Dutch book from the '60s, but couldn't find any info on it whether it was true or not.

[marknewton]

The 2000 class diesel railmotors that run in Adelaide have raised cabs with walkthrough doors.

 

The original plans for the Tokaido Shinkansen included running high-speed freight trains during the late night/early morning period, using multiple unit vehicles not unlike the later M250 series Super Rail Cargo trains. Apparently they weren't put into service as they would have interfered too much with the overnight maintenance schedule.

 

Somewhere at home I've got a brochure from that exhibition bikkuri bahn mentioned. It has renderings showing the proposed freight vehicles. If I can find it I'll scan the images and post them.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

Edited December 22, 2014 by marknewton