Alfarelos train crash

Alfarelos train crash
Details
Date 21 January 2013
Time 21:15
Location Alfarelos, Soure, Coimbra
Country Portugal
Rail line Linha do Norte
Operator Caminhos-de-Ferro Portugueses
Type of incident Rear collision
Statistics
Trains 2
Passengers 82[1]
Deaths 0[2]
Injuries 25[3]

The Alfarelos train crash occurred on January 21, 2013, at the Alfarelos station, in the Portuguese Northern Line. Two trains crashed, after passing the same signal at danger, wounding 25 people and halting the Northern Line for three days.[3][5]

Context

On the day of the accident, services were operating as usual in the Northern Line. At 19:30, an InterCity train left Lisbon Santa Apolónia towards Porto Campanhã.

About half an hour later, at 19:55, a train left Entroncamento, 106 kilometres (66 mi) away from Santa Apolónia, making the regional service towards Coimbra, where it was scheduled to arrive at 21:51.

Both trains would meet at Alfarelos: usually, the regional train would stop there to be overtaken by the InterCity train, which would pass through the station around 21:17, at 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph).

Crash

The inquiry commission led by CP and REFER collected information about the events that led to the collision:[4]

When approaching Alfarelos, the regional train encountered a caution signal (solid yellow), while travelling at 81 kilometres per hour (50 mph). Trains equipped with the train protection system (CONVEL) are not required to slow down to 45 kilometres per hour (28 mph) or 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) at a caution signal, but are only required to comply with the speed limit shown by the protection system.[6] After this signal, the train would then reach a signal on red at Alfarelos.

As the train got closer to the Alfarelos station, the driver applied the brakes. But, as the train was slowing down, it started slipping on the rails. 230 metres (0.14 mi) before the next signal, the train was still travelling at 36 kilometres per hour (22 mph). At this moment, CONVEL showed the information about the next signal (on red).

Soon after, CONVEL triggered the emergency brakes. Despite this, the train passed the signal at danger at a speed of 34.5 kilometres per hour (21.4 mph), only stopping 269 metres (0.167 mi) after the signal.

The driver then contacted the REFER Lisbon Operational Command Center (CCO Lisboa), awaiting instructions on how to proceed. At this point, the train could either be told to go back to the signal, or to continue ahead.

As this happened, the InterCity train passed the same caution signal at a speed of 130.5 kilometres per hour (81.1 mph). The driver then applied the brakes.

After braking for 500 metres (0.31 mi), the train speed was still 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph). At this point, the driver used the sander. Some moments later, with the train travelling at 66 kilometres per hour (41 mph), CONVEL showed the indication regarding the signal on red.

CP 5613 pulling a train. This CP Class 5600 locomotive was pulling the InterCity train involved in the crash, and suffered heavy damage.

The InterCity passed the signal at danger with a speed of 58.5 kilometres per hour (36.4 mph), moment at which CONVEL triggered the emergency brakes. Shortly after, at 21:15, this train, headed by an 87 tonnes (192,000 lb)[7] Siemens locomotive, collided with the regional train, at 42 kilometres per hour (26 mph), destroying the last three of the six cars.[2]

Aftermath

Despite the collision and the destruction, there were no fatalities. The regional train would normally be one multiple unit with three cars (CP Class 2240), but, on the night of the accident, this train had two multiple units, 2257 and 2294, comprising six cars.

The regional train only had five passengers, which were on the three first cars. The three last cars, which were destroyed in the collision, were empty.[5] While the InterCity locomotive (5613) suffered heavy damage, the driver survived, by getting down on the floor.[2]

The civil protection authority coordinated the emergency operations, initially reporting a collision between three trains.[1]

In the aftermath of the accident, the track was not used for several days, as works were in progress to remove the debris and to repair the infrastructure, and authorities carried on investigations.

A preliminary inquiry found no explanation for the accident, but ruled out human error from the drivers, and malfunctions in the signaling system. According to the inquiry, on both cases, the brakes were applied in a way that would have stopped the trains before the red signal under normal operating conditions.

The inquiry commission concluded that there was lack of adhesion between the wheels and the rails. The commission suggested a speed limitation of 30 kilometres per hour (19 mph) in the accident area.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Choque entre comboio "Intercidades" e "Regional" fez pelo menos 15 feridos" (in Portuguese). JN. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Comboios que colidiram em Alfarelos não conseguiram parar no sinal vermelho" (in Portuguese). Público. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Relatório sobre desastre ferroviário de Alfarelos chega ao Governo" (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Inquérito DMS N.o 472859-DSC" (in Portuguese). REFER. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Linha do norte reabre nesta quinta-feira" (in Portuguese). Público. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  6. ↑ "Colour Light Signaling". 17 May 2007. Archived from the original on 31 July 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "252 y 5600: Automotoras de Alta Velocidad", Maquetren (in Spanish) (Madrid: Resistor, S. A.) 2 (18), 1993: 20, 40