Magnetic train crashes in Germany [Fatalities]

BBC News ^ | Friday, 22 September 2006 | BBC

[wolf78]

Magnetic train crashes in Germany

An elevated magnetic train has crashed on a test track in north-western Germany, killing several people.

The train, which floats on a monorail via a magnetic levitation system called Maglev, was going at 200km/h (120 mph) when it crashed, a local official said.

Some carriages were left balancing on a section of track about five metres (16.5ft) in the air after the accident near the town of Lathen.

The driverless train hit a maintenance vehicle on the track, officials said.

"There are some fatalities - we don't know how many yet," said Dieter Sturm, a spokesman for the local administrative district of Emsland.

More than 20 people were injured, police said. The train was carrying at least 30 people at the time. The accident happened at about 1000 local time (0800 GMT), a local police spokesman said.

The test track from Lathen to Doerpen is 31.8km (20 miles) long and tourists regularly go on trips along it.

The Transrapid system, run by Siemens, is capable of speeds of up to 450km/h (280mph).

Fire engines are now at the scene and ladders are being used to reach the damaged coaches. Some debris fell from the train to the ground.

[wolf78]

[grjr21]

This is why I prefer to fly

[Moonman62]

I have to wonder why there was no automatic detection system for any obstruction on the track.

[Toby06]

ping

[wolf78]

Rrrrright... no human errors with pilots [/sarcasm].

[digger48]

I know this is a bad time to ask, but other than this ( the first wreck I've heard of with these), how are they working out?

Any FReeper ever been on one?

[wolf78]

I have to wonder why there was no automatic detection system for any obstruction on the track.

The irony is: Under normal circumstances such a system is unnecessary, as the "engine" of the whole set-up is actually the track itself, so all maglev trains traveling on the same track have the same direction and speed, ergo: No collision possible.

But if somebody is stupid enough to put an obstacle of a different kind on the track, that's a wholly different story. Outrageously stupid case of human error.

[CertainInalienableRights]

I have to wonder why there was no automatic detection system for any obstruction on the track.

I was thinking the same thing. Although, if it was based on the train, and it was travelling at upwards of 300mph, I'm not sure if even an automatic system would have time to react. Even at 120mph, stopping a train is going to take some time.

Since its a test track though, you would think there would be track-based sensors or some sort of safety device activated when maintenance vehicles are on the track or even not in their storage areas.

From what the article says, this whole situation sounds very much unlike the Germans. Sure, everybody makes mistakes, but this uncharacteristic from my experience with German technical people.

[starfish923]

Tsk.
My condolences to the families of the dead.

You have some pretty amazing photos for this story....just to have happened. Modern tech is amazing, isn't it?

[kenth]

Prayers for them and their families.

It's not really a test track if they use it regularly for tourist transport, is it? If they do consider it a test track, it sounds as if it may have been an accident waiting to happen.

[null and void]

This train was flying.

[starfish923]

This is why I prefer to fly

This is such big news because these things are so rare in Germany. Their plane record is as good.

With flying the chances of ANY survival are nil. Besides, one doesn't FLY to work or FLY 50 miles away, so trains are better than cars.

[COBOL2Java]

Very sad. This is exciting technology, but often it seems our technology gets ahead of us, particularly when it comes to safety. As was mentioned in an eaerlier post, if this was a "test" track, then what were these people doing on it?

[cyclotic]

I've worked with Siemens train people here in the US. They are by far the most inept, stupid people I've ever dealt with. We flat out told them that we do not want their business.

[em2vn]

Any information on the name of the maintenance vehicle's driver?

[CertainInalienableRights]

I've worked with Siemens train people here in the US. They are by far the most inept, stupid people I've ever dealt with. We flat out told them that we do not want their business

That's scary. Its been a few years since I worked with Germans, but I was always impressed with the ones I worked with. There was a definite lack of "screw ups" working with them. If anything, they were too careful, preferring to take so long to "do it right" that the customers either sourced product elsewhere, or the market would actually have moved on by the time they delivered.

I guess, like any generalization, a generalization is all it is.

[Moonman62]

Maybe they should put cow catchers on the front like they did the old steam locomotives.

[Squawk 8888]

I'm surprised that they got them to work- an Ontario government-owned company spent a few years and several million dollars on this technology in a partnership with a German firm in the 1970s. Just before they were to begin construction of a demonstration line in Toronto it was cancelled when someone noticed that the design of the trains made it impossible for them to go around corners.

[Uncle Miltie]

It's times like this that I miss Willie.

[MrNeutron1962]

Shellbyville can keep it.

I guess there is a chance the track might bend.