High Speed Rail Safety
High speed rail is one of the safest modes of transportation anywhere--
don't let the pictures here fool you into thinking otherwise. The safety
figures for the TGV system are exceptional; there have been no fatalities
in high speed operation, ever since service started in 1981. Today TGV
trains accumulate on the order of 10 million passenger-km per year on the
high speed lines alone.
TGV operations fall into two categories: operations on dedicated,
TGV-only high speed lines, and operation in mixed traffic on conventional
lines. Indeed, of the total trackage served by TGV trains only about 25%
(by route kilometer) is high speed
ligne à grande vitesse
.
In understanding the incident summaries below, it is important to bear
this distinction in mind. Most of the serious incidents have occurred on
conventional lines, where TGV trains are exposed to the same external
risks as any other train. In other words, high speed operation itself has
never been a factor in any fatal incident in the history of the TGV.
About the Incident Summaries...
The summaries below are not comprehensive. Most of the "major"
incidents are described, but there have been others:
- On high speed lines
- - An aerodynamic fairing lost due to incorrect maintenance, that
broke a window and injured a passenger
- At least five strikes of animals on the track
- At least two fires, one in a baggage compartment and the other in
a power unit
- At least two incidents in which a passenger door opened at
speed
- One instance of concrete placed on the track
- One instance of an attempted terrorist bombing of the track
- On conventional lines
- - A passenger killed trying to board a moving train
- A conductor killed trying to board a moving train
- A passenger injured on a platform by a broken shock absorber
- A broken tripod (transmission component)
- A collision due to operator error during a switching move
- An arson attack on an empty parked trainset
- Two instances of operator forgetting to set the parking brake,
resulting in low-speed collisions with fixed objects.
The list above together with the summaries below form a complete
history of major TGV incidents, to the best of the author's knowledge.
05 January 2001: Derailment
Trainset involved:
Atlantique, unknown
Service:
8720, Brest - Paris
Location:
Standard line near Laval (Mayenne)
Injuries:
none.
Following a winter storm, a mudslide covered the tracks. The engineer/driver
of the 6:49 AM TGV out of Brest, headed for Paris, saw the slide about 300 m ahead
and was able to slow to 120 km/h before hitting the mud. A minor derailment of
the power car ensued due to the emergency stop.
05 June 2000: High Speed Derailment
Trainset involved:
Eurostar 3101/3102
Service:
9047, Paris - London
Location:
LGV Nord Europe, near Croisilles (10 km south of Arras)
Injuries:
14, slight
Photo: Associated Press
Belgian trainset 3101-3102 was covering Eurostar 9047 (Paris to London),
travelling northbound on track 1 of the LGV Nord high speed line at 300 km/h
with 501 passengers on board.
The engineer detected an anomalous vibration and reduced speed to
200 km/h, before resuming full speed a short time afterwards. At 5:54 PM
local time as the trainset passed 290 km/h near the small town of Croisilles
(a bit south of Arras), at the level of the track switch for the link to Arras,
a transmission assembly failed. A reaction link on
the rear bogie of the leading power car became separated from the bogie frame,
leading to catastrophic failure of the transmission assembly with parts
impacting the track. The failure and ensuing emergency stop caused the failed
bogie 2 (numbered from the front), bogie 3 and bogie 23 on the trailing power
car to leave the rails. The partly derailed train came to a
stop safely 1500 m further, causing some damage to the track. 14 people
including the British engineer were treated for light injuries or shock, and
passengers resumed their trip to London on busses. Once again, as in the
1993 TGV derailment, the articulated trainset architecture was credited with
maintaining stability and integrity of the train as it came to a stop. How
closely disaster was averted is again debatable. While the train
remained mostly aligned on the trackbed, it was a matter of luck that it did
not foul track 2.
The photo shows Eurostar power car 3102 (the front of the train).
28 November 1998: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
Atlantique, unknown
Service:
unknown, Brest to Paris
Location:
Grade crossing 303, near Guipavas (29)
Injuries:
none
Photo: Eugene Le Droff/Le Telegramme
On a day when rail workers were on strike, a double TGV trainset that
had left Brest at 8:54 AM struck a stranded semi-truck/lorry just 8
minutes into its journey near Guipavas. The 23 year-old driver of the
truck jumped out of the way and escaped
uninjured after losing his way and getting stuck on the crossing
while attempting to turn around. Travelling at less than 120 km/h (75 mph)
the TGV struck and destroyed the vehicle, throwing debris onto a waiting
car whose occupant also escaped unharmed. The lead power unit sustained heavy
damage (see photo).
9 May 1998: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
4345 (Thalys PBKA)
Service:
train 9344, Amsterdam to Paris
Location:
near Hoeven, southern Netherlands
Injuries:
6, slight
Photo: Arie Kievit/Volkskrant
A truck attempted to cross the tracks at an unprotected grade crossing
when the train arrived. The truck driver was killed in the impact and the
train's power unit and first two trailers derailed. The trainset was heavily
damaged. Six passengers were injured and tracks and catenary were damaged
in the incident. The photo shows the damage to trailers R1 and R2, which had
to be scrapped. The trainset was later repaired with the R1 and R2 trailers
from TGV trainset 502, involved in the 25 September 1997 accident.
19 November 1997: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
Atlantique, unknown
Service:
Brest to Paris, unknown
Location:
D140 road at Neau, near Laval
Injuries:
6, slight
Photo: Valéry Hache (AFP)
A tractor-trailer combination carrying a load of calcium carbonate
became disabled on a grade crossing. The driver was able to escape from
the vehcile before the train hit it at 140 km/h, derailing one bogie and
damaging tracks and catenary.
11 October 1997: Fire
Trainset involved:
PSE, 15 (or 45?)
Service:
train 644, Lyon to Paris
Location:
near Montchanin, LGV Sud-Est high speed line
Injuries:
none
Photo: AFP
The train developed a fire in the engine compartment. An emergency stop
was performed, and fire services began extinguishing the blaze a half hour
later. The fire was confined to the leading power unit of the double
trainset formation. The unit involved was a recently renovated PSE set,
although it is unknown if this was a factor. The 621 passengers were
transferred to another trainset and experienced a five hour delay.
25 September 1997: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
502 (Réseau)
Service:
train 7119, Paris to Dunkerque
Location:
Bierne, 10 km south of Dunkerque
Injuries:
7, slight
Photo 1: Pascal Rossignol (Reuters)
Photo 2: Pascal Rossignol (Reuters)
Photo 3: Dernieres Nouvelles D'Alsace
Photo 4: LCI Television
Synopsis:
An asphalt paving machine became stranded on a grade
crossing near Bergues. TGV 7119, running 80 minutes late because of a
strike, hit the machine at 130 km/h (81 mph). The leading power unit left
the rails, spun around to the left, and came to rest on its side down the
track embankment. The engineer suffered minor injuries, and the unit was
destroyed. Four trailers derailed and two left the track bed. None of
them rolled over thanks to the articulated design of the train; very few
passengers were injured.
Trainset 502 was withdrawn from service and stored. The trailing power
unit serves as a spare, and trailers R1 and R2 may be used to repair
Thalys 4345, involved in the May 1998 grade crossing collision.
Photo 1 is a view of the crash site looking northbound. Photo 2 shows
the unit's nose after the crash. The rectangular impact shield is
visible, and nothing remains of the nose shrouding. Photo 3
shows the rear of the unit, with its roof broken open. Photo 4 is an
aerial view of the wreck, with the power unit at left (between the yellow
crane and the trailer), and the first two trailers in the woods.
10 August 1995: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
394 (Atlantique)
Service:
train 8737, Paris to Brest
Location:
Near Vitré, Kilometer post 342, PN 172 grade
crossing with road D34
Injuries:
2, slight
Photo: David Adémas (Ouest France)
Synopsis:
A tractor-trailer combination with farm equipment
became stuck on the grade crossing in a relatively tight, canted curve of
the Paris-Brest line. The automatic crossing gates came down and the
train, approaching at 140 km/h (87 mph), hit the unoccupied vehicle. The
train did not derail and came to a stop about 1.6 km after the impact
following an emergency brake application. Damage was limited to the nose
of trainset 394, as well as a catenary mast and grade crossing gates.
21 December 1993: High Speed Derailment
Trainset involved:
511 (Réseau)
Service:
train 7150, Valenciennes to Paris
Location:
TGV Haute Picardie station, Kilometer post 110.5, LGV Nord
(Paris-Lille) high speed line
Injuries:
One, slight
Photo: Jean-Marie Hervio / Le Parisien Libéré
Synopsis:
This was probably the most spectacular accident
involving a TGV, and set a record for the world's fastest derailment. It
occured before the TGV Haute Picardie station was built, near the southern
end of where the platforms are located today. After a period of heavy
rains, a large sink hole opened under track 2 (southbound). Two trains
had already passed this spot and detected no anomaly, as late as 10
minutes before the accident. At 7:06, TGV 7150 was bearing down at 294
km/h (182 mph) on a muddy hole 7 meters long by 4 meters wide and 1.5
meters deep, bridged by a section of unsupported track (see picture
above). The engineer felt a slight bump and made a service brake
application. The last four trailers and the rear power unit derailed, and
the train came to a rocky stop over a distance of 2.3 kilometers (somewhat
less than it takes for a conventional emergency stop). It was fortunate
that the train did not jackknife or leave the track bed; this is credited
in part to the stiffness that the articulated design lends to the train.
Only one passenger was injured, and another treated for shock. The
sinkhole was traced to unstable terrain beneath the track bed, possibly
caused by galleries and trenches from World War 1. How closely a disaster
was averted is a matter of debate; however, the trackbed has since been
carefully inspected to prevent similar occurences in the future.
14 December 1992: High Speed Derailment
Trainset involved:
PSE, unknown
Service:
train 920, Annecy to Paris
Location:
Mâcon-Loché TGV station, Kilometer post 334,
LGV Sud-Est high speed line
Injuries:
27, slight
Synopsis:
The accident trainset had been involved in an emergency
stop previously, which resulted in a significant wheel flat. At 7:33 AM,
the flat spot caused one bogie of the trainset to
derail as it passed through the Mâcon-Loché station at 270
km/h (168 mph). Projections of ballast stones caused injuries to people
standing on the station platform waiting for train 970. The train came
to a stop safely.
23 September 1988: Grade Crossing Accident
Trainset involved:
70 (PSE)
Service:
train 736, Grenoble to Paris
Location:
PN 74, Voiron
Injuries:
2 dead, 60 injured
Synopsis:
A special road transport with a weight of 80 tons
became stranded on grade crossing 74. Train 736, rounding a curve toward
the crossing, plowed into it at 110 km/h (68 mph). The large mass of the
road vehicle made this crash much worse than it might otherwise have been;
the engineer and one passenger died, and many more were injured when the
first trailer was ripped open by debris. Only the leading power unit
derailed. This wreck, the most violent to date, became a reference for
the design and crash testing of safety features for the next generation of
TGV, as embodied by today's Duplex trainsets. These newer trains have
several deformable sections, at the front and rear of the power unit and
at the front of the first trailer, to manage and absorb crash energy
without damage to passenger compartments. Trainset 70 was never returned
to service, and the trailing unit 23140 became a spare in the PSE fleet.
31 December 1983: Terrorist Bombing
Trainset involved:
PSE, unknown
Service:
Marseille to Paris, unknown
Location:
Near Tain-l'Hermitage, south of Lyon in the Rhône Valley
Injuries:
See below
Photo: APIAV
Synopsis:
The bomb was placed in a luggage rack in a trailer
vestibule. It exploded at about the same time as another bomb which
was placed in a baggage locker in the Marseille St-Charles station.
The toll from both bombs totalled 5 dead and 50 injured. Both bombs
were the work of the famed terrorist Carlos the Jackal.
Sources: Chemins de Fer, La Vie du Rail, TF1 television, Dernieres
Nouvelles d'Alsace, US Federal Railroad Administration, etc.