[Article] Cahir inquiry is critical of Iarnrod Éireann

Victor

http://www.thepost.ie/post/pages/p/story.aspx-qqqid=16214-qqqx=1.asp

Cahir inquiry is critical of Iarnrod Eireann
06 August 2006 By Niamh Connolly

An inquiry into the derailment of a freight train at Cahir viaduct in Co Tipperary in 2003 has found ‘‘significant deficiencies’’ in the management of Iarnrod Eireann’s infrastructure, according to a report on the incident.

An inquiry into the derailment of a freight train at Cahir viaduct in Co Tipperary in 2003 has found ‘‘significant deficiencies’’ in the management of Iarnrod Eireann’s infrastructure, according to a report on the incident.

Last Thursday, the Department of Transport published a final report into the 2003 derailment, which led to wagons from a cement train plunging 50 feet into a river, and the subsequent closure of the Limerick-Waterford passenger line.

The incident happened when 13 wagons carrying hundreds of tons of cement broke away from the engine, plunging into the river Suir. The driver’s engine stayed on the tracks.

A final report by the Railway Safety Commission found that critical shortcomings in the viaduct structure and Iarnrod Eireann’s inspection and maintenance regime ‘‘were principally responsible for the accident’’.

The commission’s inquiry uncovered ‘‘the absence of a consistent design detail for what was arguably the most safety critical part of the viaduct’’ when modifications were made by the company.

It noted the absence of a full inspection regime, adequate standards and specifications for maintenance or adequate training of staff involved in inspection and maintenance.

‘‘If appropriate standards and specifications had existed at the time of the accident and had been rigorously applied in relation to the design, inspection and maintenance of the viaduct, it is unlikely that the derailment would have occurred,” the report states.

Iarnrod Eireann objected to the findings of a previous report by the Railway Safety Commission, on grounds that it did not take into account what the company believed was a significant factor in the crash, the speed of the train.

The final report published last week on the Department of Transport’s website concludes: ‘‘At the time of the accident, the train was travelling in excess of the permitted maximum speed, but although this may have been significant, it is not believed to be the primary cause of the accident.”

This weekend Iarnrod Eireann said that the findings of the Railway Safety Commission report and its own separate investigation into the crash ‘‘had very much in common’’.

After the accident the bridge was rebuilt to a modern standard and the line reopened, a spokesman said.

Iarnrod Eireann’s report found that the accident was caused by a combination of the wagon type and conditions on the track.

Chris_533976

The final report published last week on the Department of Transport’s website concludes: ‘‘At the time of the accident, the train was travelling in excess of the permitted maximum speed, but although this may have been significant, it is not believed to be the primary cause of the accident.”

Owned

MarkoP11

The incident happened when 13 wagons carrying hundreds of tons of cement broke away from the engine, plunging into the river Suir. The driver’s engine stayed on the tracks.

So 12 ended up in the river, 10 remained coupled, thats 22 all accounted for so where is the 13th wagon ? And the couplings are designed to fail in a situation like this.

The report is flawed since they didn't check the speedometer accuracy on the train, they went to long lengths to calibrate the Hassler disk recording but something so obvious as checking speedometer, the record shows a 5km/h overspeed, the DART cab signalling allows a 5km/h grace over the offical limit so even with top notch safety systems that could not be picked uip

The UK went through a phase in the 1960's of unexplained freight derailments, the cement wagons are based on UK designs

What the RSC can't explain is the fact the train did not derail instead a wheel of a wagon climbed over the rail which matches the IE consultants theory.

End result lots of blame but no definitive reason

There are two reports
http://www.platform11.org/resources/rail_safety.php#Accident_Reports

Victor

MarkoP11 wrote:

There are two reports
http://www.platform11.org/resources/rail_safety.php#Accident_Reports

Both of these point to http://www.transport.ie/upload/general/6149-0.pdf

Interim Report into Cement Train Derailment at the Suir River Viaduct on 7 October 2003

Inquiry into the Level Crossing Collision at Kiltoom on the Westport Line 16 February 2001

MarkoP11

They don't anymore I really should go easy on copy and paste, there is in fact a third report I'll see if I can turn it up

Navan Junction

Frank McDonald, Environment Editor, Irish Times, 11/08/2006

Defects in the timber deck structure of Cahir Viaduct and in Iarnród Éireann's inspection and maintenance regime were "principally responsible" for the viaduct's collapse following the derailment of a freight train in October 2003.


"If these had been fit for the purpose, it is unlikely that an accident would have occurred," according to the Railway Safety Commission. Its report on the accident also concluded that trains crossing the viaduct "may have been at risk of derailment for some time prior to the accident".

It said there was "almost certainly" a significant risk to some of the 15 trains that crossed the viaduct in Co Tipperary after maintenance works were completed on the Sunday before the accident. "This included two passenger trains," the 72-page report said. "If appropriate standards and specifications had existed at the time of the accident and had been rigorously applied in relation to the design, inspection and maintenance of the viaduct, it is unlikely that the derailment would have occurred."

The accident occurred when a cement train from Limerick derailed on the viaduct, causing it to split apart. Twelve wagons fell through the bridge into the River Suir, 15 metres below, while two engines and the first 10 wagons of the train remained on the track.

Although nobody was injured in the early morning accident, damage to the railway and the freight train cost more than €3 million to repair. This included an underwater survey to locate debris and the removal of cement wagons from the river to prevent pollution.

The commission noted that the train was travelling at 69km/h, 5km/h faster than the speed limit for the line between Limerick Junction and Rosslare, but it said that this was not the primary cause of the derailment and bridge collapse.

"The train speed may have contributed to the extent of revealing a critical fault in the track, but it can be ruled out as a cause . . . The construction of the cement wagons made them more sensitive to track irregularities than bogie wagons, but laden cement wagons rarely derail. The train had successfully passed through a number of locations where the ballast track was in poor condition. However, failure to maintain track parameters is more critical on way-beam structures, which are more rigid and less forgiving than ballast track."

In reporting the accident, the driver said he was unable to make use of the train radio as the train was in a reception "black spot". Though the time lost was not critical, "had anyone been injured as a result of the accident it might well have been so", it said.

A new railway patrolling standard with revised reporting and signing-off arrangements had been in course of development for about two years prior to the accident, but its implementation only started a month afterwards.

The report makes 15 recommendations. These include a review by Iarnród Éireann of its safety management and communications systems, monitoring adherence to speed limits and ongoing track monitoring.

© The Irish Times

SeanW

There was an independent report into the Cahir accident.

http://www.kellstransportmuseum.com/Cahir.html

Tha author alleges that sleeper chairs on the bridge failed due to rot in the sleepers, causing the track gauge to widen. Very critical of Irish Rail.

MarkoP11

Said bridge does not have any sleepers

The track is flat bottomed rail so there are no chairs either

dowlingm

oh god, not Michael Grimes again.