1998 Suonenjoki Rail Collision
Timeline of events
The InterCity train 72 en route from Iisalmi to Helsinki via Kouvola was scheduled to pass freight train 2051 in Airaksela, 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of Suonenjoki. On the day of the accident the freight train was running 30 minutes late, and the train dispatcher was planning to stop the InterCity train on the main line and have the freight train pass it through a passing loop (normally the freight train would wait on the passing loop while the InterCity drives straight through the main line). A route was secured for the InterCity to the Suonenjoki railway station, where it was signaled to stop and wait for the freight train to pass the station. This would have delayed the departure of the InterCity by 3 minutes.
However, the InterCity left the station on schedule at 5:57:01 and missed the red “stop” aspect of the signal. Upon noticing the approaching train the drivers of both trains activated the emergency brakes and, when the collision seemed inevitable, jumped off the trains. The dispatcher noticed that the main track was occupied by the wrong train and immediately started calling both trains on radio. No answer was heard, however, as the drivers had already jumped out and the trains collided. Their total velocity upon collision was 69 kilometres per hour (43 mph).
Due to the high velocity of the passenger train 44 kilometres per hour (27 mph) and the large mass of the freight train, the collision was violent. The whole InterCity train moved back 4 metres (13 ft) and the first two cars of the freight train were pushed under its locomotive. This forced the rear end of the locomotive to rise high up in the air and touch the overhead lines. No cars were badly derailed, though.
Cause
The accident was caused by the driver of the InterCity train ignoring the stop aspect of the main signal. The driver heard the conductor’s “ready” bell signal and concentrated on leaving the station by the second. A signal repeater was possibly malfunctioning. Other contributing factors were the bright daylight that prevented the driver from clearly seeing the red signal, and the general “obsession” among InterCity drivers to obey the timetable by the second.
See also
Finnish railway signalling
External links
Accident Investigation Boards’ report
Coordinates: 623656 27730 / 62.61556N 27.125E / 62.61556; 27.125
Categories: Railway accidents in 1998 | Railway accidents in Finland | 1998 in Finland
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