2006 Zoufftgen rail crash
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Zoufftgen train collision occurred around 11.45 am on 11 October 2006, near Zoufftgen
, Moselle
, France
, some 20 metres from the border with Luxembourg
, on the Metz
– Zoufftgen (Luxembourg – Dijon
) line. Two trains collided head-on
while one track of a double track
line was out of service for maintenance. Six people, including the drivers of both trains, were killed: two Luxembourgers and four French. Twenty more were injured in the accident, two seriously.
(CFL), running on the Métrolor
service (TER Lorraine
) from the city of Luxembourg
to Nancy, France. The other was an SNCF
freight train composed of 22 wagons on the Bâle
– Thionville
– Bettembourg
route. They were involved in a head-on collision
. This type of accident, called ("Nose to Nose") in French railway jargon, is relatively rare and often fatal. One of the most fatal head-on collisions in France was the 1985 Flaujac train collision, which left 35 dead and 120 injured. The most recent accident of this kind happened on the Tende line on 27 January 2003 where a French and an Italian train collided, killing both drivers.
The accident occurred between the border stations of Hettange-Grande
(France) and Bettembourg
(Luxembourg), near the Lorraine area of Zoufftgen
, on a double track
section. The accident was on a section crossing a forest, limiting visibility. The speed limits of the trains were 140 km/h (87 mph) and 100 km/h (62.1 mph).
Only a single track was being used because of engineering works. The line was electrified at 25 kV AC
, and equipped, between Thionville
and Bettembourg, with BAL and IPCS which allow trains to run in one or other direction, the signalling and the interlocking being preconfigured to achieve this. Both trains were equipped with safety systems, KVB on the French side and KVB and Memor II+ on the Luxembourg side, which in particular halts the train if it passes a stop signal.
of Moselle had made a "White plan
" (an emergency plan) to organise the response. Hundreds of French and Luxembourger rescue workers were marshalled:
The "Red plan
" was lifted two days after the accident, shortly after the sixtieth and last victim had been extricated.
and the Luxembourg authorities, the accident had caused:
and Luxembourg. At the same time, other inquiries were started: in France, by the SNCF
and the BEA-TT by the French Minister of Transport, and in Luxembourg, by the CFL and the ("Inquiry Agency for Incidents and Accidents"), in concert with the BEA-TT.
On 8 October 2007, the court of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg indicted six CFL employees on charges of manslaughter
and actual bodily harm
. After investigation, indictments of two board members of the CFL were dropped. While no individual has been identified, it was stated that among the accused were two traffic controllers.
was quoted as saying "It's tough to say, but it's the fault of the CFL."
locomotive 37007 from the Thionville depot, which had entered the section as normal by passing a green signal.
The accident was due to a human signalling error on the Luxembourg side, according to information from the Luxembourg Minister of Transport on 15 October 2006.
The CFL accepted that the double-deck passenger train (class TER 2N NG
), travelling from Luxembourg to Nancy, had passed a red signal with the authorisation of the head signaller at Bettembourg
. The signaller had not followed procedure in its entirety, and had not confirmed with the signal box at Thionville that the way was clear, probably not considering the possibility of another train having been delayed (in fact, the freight train). The Bettembourg signal box thus authorised the TER
train to proceed on the track past a red signal which had already cleared the freight train from the opposite direction.
Having realised the mistake, the signaller at Bettembourg triggered an alert by RST , which was not received by the driver of the passenger train. He then wanted to cut the electricity supply for the line, but this was not possible because of the different rail electrification systems of the two countries; moreover the Luxembourg train had already passed to the French side, and so was beyond the signaller's control.
s that progressively collapsed in the event of overriding (locomotive BB 37007 going under the CFL locomotive).
The cab of locomotive BB 37007 was destroyed by the force of the collision, but the rest of the leading structure remained "coherent". The crumple zone had been compressed. The driver, stuck in the cab, had no escape. The trailing wagons left the track to the right (in the direction of the train) after their couplings failed.
The head motor car of the CFL train, built on the same assembly line as the SNCF train, had had its cabin crushed by the force of the collision and the roof was torn off by the overriding locomotive; however the intermediate trailing wagons and the tail motor car remained on the track, because the ends of each of the cars in between had anti-override structures which "locked" against each other in case of shock. These structures led to the high number of survivors.
Zoufftgen
Zoufftgen is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.As at 1999 its population was 608.-2006 rail crash:On the morning of 11 October 2006 a passenger train and a goods train collided head-on, killing six people....
, Moselle
Moselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, some 20 metres from the border with Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, on the Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
– Zoufftgen (Luxembourg – Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
) line. Two trains collided head-on
Head-on collision
A head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
while one track of a double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
line was out of service for maintenance. Six people, including the drivers of both trains, were killed: two Luxembourgers and four French. Twenty more were injured in the accident, two seriously.
Circumstances
One train was a double-decker passenger train of the Chemins de Fer LuxembourgeoisChemins de Fer Luxembourgeois
Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois is the national railway company of Luxembourg. In 2005, the company carried approximately 14.1 million passengers and 11.7 million tonnes of goods...
(CFL), running on the Métrolor
Métrolor
Métrolor, as its name suggests , is a brand for the internal passenger train service of the Lorraine region, where the trains' frequency and network's density are comparable to rapid transit systems.- Origins :...
service (TER Lorraine
TER Lorraine
TER Lorraine is the regional rail network serving Lorraine region, France.- Rail:-Road:* Thionville - Bouzonville - Creutzwald* Remiremont - Bussang* Remiremont - La Bresse - Gerardmer* Epinal - Mirecourt - Vittel - Neufchâteau...
) from the city of Luxembourg
Luxembourg (city)
The city of Luxembourg , also known as Luxembourg City , is a commune with city status, and the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is located at the confluence of the Alzette and Pétrusse Rivers in southern Luxembourg...
to Nancy, France. The other was an SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
freight train composed of 22 wagons on the Bâle
Bale
- Places :* Bale , a small town in Croatia* Bale, California, in Napa County* Bale, Norfolk in England* Bale, Poland* Balé Province, Burkina Faso* Basel, the Swiss city, for which the French name is Bâle-Ethiopia:* Bale Mountains...
– Thionville
Thionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
– Bettembourg
Bettembourg
Bettembourg is a commune and town in southern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Bettembourg, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 7,157...
route. They were involved in a head-on collision
Head-on collision
A head-on collision is one where the front ends of two ships, trains, planes or vehicles hit each other, as opposed to a side collision or rear-end collision.-Rail transport:...
. This type of accident, called ("Nose to Nose") in French railway jargon, is relatively rare and often fatal. One of the most fatal head-on collisions in France was the 1985 Flaujac train collision, which left 35 dead and 120 injured. The most recent accident of this kind happened on the Tende line on 27 January 2003 where a French and an Italian train collided, killing both drivers.
The accident occurred between the border stations of Hettange-Grande
Hettange-Grande
Hettange-Grande is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-Geography:Hettange-Grande is located close to the borders between France, Germany, and Luxembourg.-History:...
(France) and Bettembourg
Bettembourg
Bettembourg is a commune and town in southern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Bettembourg, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 7,157...
(Luxembourg), near the Lorraine area of Zoufftgen
Zoufftgen
Zoufftgen is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.As at 1999 its population was 608.-2006 rail crash:On the morning of 11 October 2006 a passenger train and a goods train collided head-on, killing six people....
, on a double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
section. The accident was on a section crossing a forest, limiting visibility. The speed limits of the trains were 140 km/h (87 mph) and 100 km/h (62.1 mph).
Only a single track was being used because of engineering works. The line was electrified at 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
, and equipped, between Thionville
Thionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
and Bettembourg, with BAL and IPCS which allow trains to run in one or other direction, the signalling and the interlocking being preconfigured to achieve this. Both trains were equipped with safety systems, KVB on the French side and KVB and Memor II+ on the Luxembourg side, which in particular halts the train if it passes a stop signal.
Response
The préfecturePréfecture
A prefecture in France can refer to :*the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a department is located;*the Chef-lieu de région, the town in which the administration of a region is located;...
of Moselle had made a "White plan
French white plan
The French white plan is, in France, the emergency plan to face a sudden increase of activity in an hospital, such as a massive arrival of casualties due to an accident or a disaster , an epidemic or a lasting climatic event that becomes deadly for fragile people such as a...
" (an emergency plan) to organise the response. Hundreds of French and Luxembourger rescue workers were marshalled:
- Around 100 militia of the French National Gendarmerie,
- 150 French and Luxembourger firefighterFirefighterFirefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s - 50 emergency vehicles
- 7 French and Luxembourger vehicle extricationVehicle extricationVehicle extrication is the process of removing the vehicle from around a person that has been involved in a motor vehicle accident, when conventional means of exit are impossible or unadvisable. A delicate approach is needed to minimize injury to the victim during the extrication...
units.
The "Red plan
French red plan
The French red plan is a French emergency plan used if an emergency has a significant number of casualties in a limited area. Its aim is to organize the rescue resources to cope with the concentrated casualties....
" was lifted two days after the accident, shortly after the sixtieth and last victim had been extricated.
Preliminary
According to the preliminary investigation, validated by the prefecture of the Department of MoselleMoselle
Moselle is a department in the east of France named after the river Moselle.- History :Moselle is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
and the Luxembourg authorities, the accident had caused:
- Six deaths, two Luxembourgers and four French, being the drivers and a worker on the adjacent track
- Two serious injuries (both French), removed to Thionville and Luxembourg for treatment
- Fourteen minor injuries or shock, treated in ThionvilleThionvilleThionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
and Luxembourg.
Inquiries
The accident being in both France and Luxembourg, judicial inquiries were opened by the authorities in both ThionvilleThionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
and Luxembourg. At the same time, other inquiries were started: in France, by the SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
and the BEA-TT by the French Minister of Transport, and in Luxembourg, by the CFL and the ("Inquiry Agency for Incidents and Accidents"), in concert with the BEA-TT.
On 8 October 2007, the court of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg indicted six CFL employees on charges of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and actual bodily harm
Actual bodily harm
Assault occasioning actual bodily harm is a statutory offence of aggravated assault in England and Wales, Northern Ireland, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Hong Kong and the Solomon Islands...
. After investigation, indictments of two board members of the CFL were dropped. While no individual has been identified, it was stated that among the accused were two traffic controllers.
Later
After further investigations by SNCF and CFL, railway officials came to the conclusion that the fault lay with the Luxembourg rail traffic controllers who cleared the passenger train onto the same track as the freight train. Luxembourg's Transport Minister Lucien LuxLucien Lux
Lucien Lux is a politician and trade unionist from Luxembourg. A member of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party, Lux was in the government from 2004 until 2009, under Jean-Claude Juncker....
was quoted as saying "It's tough to say, but it's the fault of the CFL."
Analysis
The Luxembourger driver of TER 837 617 received an order to pass a red (stop) signal to enter the zone operated by freight train number 45 938, pulled by SNCF Class BB 37000SNCF Class BB 37000
The SNCF Class BB 37000 "Prima" electric locomotives are currently being built by Alstom. These locomotives are the triple-voltage version of the Class BB 27000...
locomotive 37007 from the Thionville depot, which had entered the section as normal by passing a green signal.
The accident was due to a human signalling error on the Luxembourg side, according to information from the Luxembourg Minister of Transport on 15 October 2006.
The CFL accepted that the double-deck passenger train (class TER 2N NG
SNCF Class Z 26500
The SNCF Class Z 26500 double-decker electrical multiple units were built by Alstom between 2004–2005....
), travelling from Luxembourg to Nancy, had passed a red signal with the authorisation of the head signaller at Bettembourg
Bettembourg
Bettembourg is a commune and town in southern Luxembourg. It is part of the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette, which is part of the district of Luxembourg., the town of Bettembourg, which lies in the east of the commune, has a population of 7,157...
. The signaller had not followed procedure in its entirety, and had not confirmed with the signal box at Thionville that the way was clear, probably not considering the possibility of another train having been delayed (in fact, the freight train). The Bettembourg signal box thus authorised the TER
Ter
Ter is a prefix or suffix designating the third instance of a thing, thus following bis and preceding quater.Ter can also refer to:* River Ter, in Essex;* Ter , the debut album of American rock band Sweet Water...
train to proceed on the track past a red signal which had already cleared the freight train from the opposite direction.
Having realised the mistake, the signaller at Bettembourg triggered an alert by RST , which was not received by the driver of the passenger train. He then wanted to cut the electricity supply for the line, but this was not possible because of the different rail electrification systems of the two countries; moreover the Luxembourg train had already passed to the French side, and so was beyond the signaller's control.
Crumple zones
The rolling stock was extremely new (2004) and had crumple zoneCrumple zone
The crumple zone is a structural feature mainly of automobiles. Crumple zones have also been incorporated into railcars in recent years.They are designed to absorb the energy from the impact during an accident by controlled deformation. This energy is much higher than is commonly recognized...
s that progressively collapsed in the event of overriding (locomotive BB 37007 going under the CFL locomotive).
The cab of locomotive BB 37007 was destroyed by the force of the collision, but the rest of the leading structure remained "coherent". The crumple zone had been compressed. The driver, stuck in the cab, had no escape. The trailing wagons left the track to the right (in the direction of the train) after their couplings failed.
The head motor car of the CFL train, built on the same assembly line as the SNCF train, had had its cabin crushed by the force of the collision and the roof was torn off by the overriding locomotive; however the intermediate trailing wagons and the tail motor car remained on the track, because the ends of each of the cars in between had anti-override structures which "locked" against each other in case of shock. These structures led to the high number of survivors.
See also
- List of rail accidents (2000–present)