Train Crash in Greece

[Rush and Lusk]

Amongst the folks out there with direct experience of railway operations - any thoughts on what might be the likely cause of this sad accident ?

[amdaley]

24 minutes ago, Rush and Lusk said:

Amongst the folks out there with direct experience of railway operations - any thoughts on what might be the likely cause of this sad accident ?

Human error it would seem.

The station master of Larissa has been arrested & charged.

There's a piece on it here.

https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2023/0301/1359527-greece-train/

[Ironroad]

Since this was a head on crash on a double track line one of these trains was on the wrong line. I believe trains in Greece travel on the right and from the pictures it looks like the passenger train was on the left.  How that happened is the question, it is an incredible error in this day and age. I also wonder what the protocol is when a driver realises they are on the wrong track as surely must have been the case.

[amdaley]

Surely there are safeguards in place to prevent such head on collision ?

[hexagon789]

14 minutes ago, amdaley said:

Surely there are safeguards in place to prevent such head on collision ?

While the new build and upgraded sections are equipped for ETCS cab signalling, much of the old parts of the line still in use have the signalling either broken or disabled and thus are worked on telephone and train orders. 

57 minutes ago, Ironroad said:

Since this was a head on crash on a double track line one of these trains was on the wrong line. I believe trains in Greece travel on the right and from the pictures it looks like the passenger train was on the left.  How that happened is the question, it is an incredible error in this day and age. I also wonder what the protocol is when a driver realises they are on the wrong track as surely must have been the case.

Almost all double track in Greece is equipped for Bi-directional running.

Edited March 1, 2023 by hexagon789

[Mayner]

Probably best not to speculate on the cause, as hexagon789 indicates the signalling system appears to be a mismash of modern ETCS and Train Order systems (without signal interlocking).

The police arresting the Station Master reminds me of CIE blaming the Buttervant derailment on a p.w. worker who was put in charge of a set of hand operated facing points on the main line, something that should never have been allowed to happen if CIE senior  management were doing their job in the first place.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/485123/hours-after-deadly-train-crash-greece-agonises-over-what-went-wrong

Seems to be major underlying problems with poor industrial relations, under investment and forced privitisation of rail services as a result of EU bail-out conditions.

Interestingly the Greek Transport Minister and senior railway Officials resigned following the crash and the Unions have called a national rail strike.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Mayner

[Ironroad]

I agree, let's not speculate but if what I'm reading here is correct this was an accident waiting to happen.