Train accident in Palermo: Transportation Safety Board analyzes similarities with a 2021 accident on the same section

Transportation Safety Board (JST)in charge of investigation Train accident on the San Martin line Analyzes the similarities between the incident and another train accident that occurred more than two years earlier, when two structures on the same branch collided between Retiro and Palermo stations.

That incident occurred on November 13, 2021. That night, a passenger train developed a technical fault, due to which it could not move forward and stopped. Then, from Retiro, a relief locomotive was sent to pull it. But when he reached that place he was surprised.

After analyzing the causes of that incident, it was concluded that the main reason was communication discrepancies,

research team of JST Act now to find out who today’s episode is for More than 90 people were helpedOf which 55 had to be transferred to different hospitals – this may have been a result of the same failures.

It should be remembered that the JST Operational Safety Report regarding the 2021 accident identified The locomotive that was to provide assistance to the stalled train received the location from three different routes, and the information was different on each of them.,

Specifically, the train’s location was communicated verbally – information of which could not be verified because it was not recorded – through the issuance of special caution track orders – in which the exact location was not detailed – and radio groups. Via, where it was said that the train was located in “Palermo”, then in “Palermo Station” and finally it was in “Senal 55”.

Thus, the investigation “found that employees do not receive training in the use of radios.”

At that time, in addition, the JST also found two other points correct. On the one hand, field surveys confirmed that Lack of kilometer posts, which serve to indicate the position of the vehicle, And on the other hand, they discovered visibility difficultiesBecause while crossing the curve near signal 55, it was not possible to separate the section of track adjacent to the railway bridge.

In conclusion, the experts provided the following recommendations: carry out a training process for train control post personnel as well as all personnel involved in radio communications; implementing measures to validate information received and issued by the train control post during radio communications; Reevaluate the function of physical documents related to train operations; Establish measures that guarantee the updating of operational information managed by train control posts; To train personnel in RITO and SEAL procedure on rescue operations of trains stopped in blocked sections; Survey the condition of the kilometer pillars of the San Martín Line.

The case of this Friday’s accident fell into the National Federal Criminal and Correctional Court No. 11, under the charge of Judge Julian Ercolini, Magistrate He handed over the relevant expertise to the Federal Police, who will prepare a report in collaboration with the JST.

The first information said that an accident occurred 100% due to human error Within the framework of non-functioning of the automatic signaling system.

However, the Transport Secretary, franco mogetahe announced it “Several hypotheses are analyzed”, Among them, appear Theft of cables, loss of signals, failure in communications – as happened in 2021 – and even a chain of irresponsibility To prevent such accidents.

Sector sources said infobae The driver who was driving the train with passengers received the right to travel on that track, despite the fact that the locomotive was stopped on the road. Drivers received written notice to proceed Due to cable theft, no signage has been installed here for several days.

“They have been asymptomatic for 10 days, so they are giving written information. Since the automated circuit does not work it is done manually. They sent a locomotive with a boxcar and gave way to the formation with passengers behind. And this is where the impact happens,” sources confirmed.

Precisely the field signalman, who gives the authorization to the Palermo station assistant to enable the movement of the structure with passengers, confirmed this information through this medium and stressed that due to the theft of the cables the operation of the automatic signal system Scarcity creates great difficulties. ,In normal operation, with signals, this does not happen”Said.

infobae reached up to WhatsApp audio that the driver of the passenger formation sent to the field signalers To tell them what had happened on the track.

“Take control, we collide here,” 52 seconds into the message the man begins to say. It was sent immediately after the accident to the control staff, who are in charge of sending authorization to proceed on the road. Then, he continues to specify the location where the incident occurred: “They informed us in Ocampos and we crashed here, Kilometer about 5. There was a train,

In the audio, which is a conversation between a train driver and a negotiator, he continues: “Yes, yes, driver, the guard told me he is coming with an empty car. This is what I know, I’m calling the Palermo assistant who gets the way.

And he ends with a warning for the rest: “There the Palermo assistant gave you route 53 because there he collided with the light vehicle. Yes, yes, they billed me there on the 25th, I don’t know if you took it or not. I called him several times until he gave it to me and then he told me the way. 9 6 4 Tomato Caution, altitude about 5 kilometers.