2010 Sjursøya train crash
Encyclopedia
The Sjursøya train accident was a railway accident
that occurred on 24 March 2010 at around 13:15 local time, when a set of 16 freight cars began to roll uncontrollably during shunting on Alnabru
, north in Oslo
. The train dispatcher central chose to lead the runaway train in the direction of Sjursøya, along the Loenga–Alnabru Line, where it derailed and rolled through a Statoil
building in the terminal area at Sjursøya
, a peninsula which is part of the Oslo ports facilities. The line leading to the container and petroleum port at Sjursøya is a branch of Østfold Line, and is only used at low speeds. However, the empty carriages crashed into the harbour terminal at an estimated speed of more than 100 km/h (62 mph). At the most, the set of carriages had a speed of 90–140 km/h.
According to police reports, three people were killed in the accident while four people were injured. Of these four, three were severely hurt and the fourth person received minor injuries. According to TV 2 Nyhetskanalen
, the condition of three of the injured persons was critical.
A similar accident occurred in 1981, when runaway freight cars belonging to Norges Statsbaner derailed near the bridge over Loenga
, only 100 meters from Sjursøya. An incident with runaway CargoNet freight cars also occurred in the terminal area at Trondheim Central Station
on 28 January 2010, but this accident caused only material damage.
carriages was parked at Alnabru Freight Terminal, pending use later in the day. The train sped downhill from Alnabru (about 90 m.a.s.l) for several miles, without a locomotive. The train hurtled out of control, smashing into a building and plunging into Oslofjord
. The structure, where several people had been working, collapsed and part of the train fell into the fjord. According to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, the Norwegian National Rail Administration tried to derail the train using a derail switch at Alnabru Freight Terminal, but without success. The set of carriages was always rolling on a freight track, and therefore there was no danger that it would roll towards Oslo Central Station. When the train was driving through Loenga yard, the centralized traffic control set a derailer so the runaway freight train could derail automatically. But also this device failed. Exactly how the train cars became detached and began to roll from Alnabru is still a mystery. However, later it was clarified by Norwegian Accident Investigation Board that the brakes on the cars did not work as they should, but it remains unclear whether human or technical error prevented the track brakes from functioning properly.
, which they were not. When the runaway train was first discovered, it already had changed to track A5, which is one of the two tracks at Alnabru Freight Terminal that have no connection to a so-called emergency track. After that, there were no barriers in the proximity of Alnabru that could stop the runaway train. Human error is therefore seen as the main cause of the fatal train crash.
decided to fine the Norwegian National Rail Administration and CargoNet
with 15 and 7 million Norwegian Krone respectively. Unlike the rail administration, CargoNet have not accepted the fine.
Train wreck
A train wreck or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an accident, such as when a train wheel jumps off a track in a derailment; or when a boiler...
that occurred on 24 March 2010 at around 13:15 local time, when a set of 16 freight cars began to roll uncontrollably during shunting on Alnabru
Alnabru
Alnabru is a neighbourhood of Oslo. It is located in the middle of the southern part of Groruddalen. The name Alnabru comes from the area around Alnaelva and the old Alna Gård. This has also given its name to the suburb of Alna where the neighbourhood of Alnabru is located.The neighbourhood is an...
, north in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. The train dispatcher central chose to lead the runaway train in the direction of Sjursøya, along the Loenga–Alnabru Line, where it derailed and rolled through a Statoil
Statoil
Statoil ASA is a Norwegian petroleum company established in 1972. It merged with Norsk Hydro in 2007 and was known as StatoilHydro until 2009, when the name was changed back to Statoil ASA. The brand Statoil was retained as a chain of fuel stations owned by StatoilHydro...
building in the terminal area at Sjursøya
Sjursøya
Sjursøya is a peninsula located in Oslo, Norway. The peninsula is entirely used by the Port of Oslo as a container and petroleum port, and serves as the primary oil port for Eastern Norway....
, a peninsula which is part of the Oslo ports facilities. The line leading to the container and petroleum port at Sjursøya is a branch of Østfold Line, and is only used at low speeds. However, the empty carriages crashed into the harbour terminal at an estimated speed of more than 100 km/h (62 mph). At the most, the set of carriages had a speed of 90–140 km/h.
According to police reports, three people were killed in the accident while four people were injured. Of these four, three were severely hurt and the fourth person received minor injuries. According to TV 2 Nyhetskanalen
TV 2 Nyhetskanalen
TV 2 Nyhetskanalen is a Norwegian language television news channel which started broadcasting on January 15, 2007. It is Norway's first national news network in Norwegian, although Nyhetskanalen did exist from 1997 to 1998....
, the condition of three of the injured persons was critical.
A similar accident occurred in 1981, when runaway freight cars belonging to Norges Statsbaner derailed near the bridge over Loenga
Loënga
Loënga is a small village in Sneek in the province Friesland of the Netherlands and has around the 70 citizens....
, only 100 meters from Sjursøya. An incident with runaway CargoNet freight cars also occurred in the terminal area at Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station or Trondheim S is the main railway station serving the city of Trondheim, Norway. Located at Brattøra in the north part of the city center, it is the terminus of the Dovre Line, running southwards, and the Nordland Line, which runs north...
on 28 January 2010, but this accident caused only material damage.
The accident
The set of empty CargoNetCargoNet
CargoNet AS is the primary operator of freight trains on the Norwegian railway system. It was formed as NSB Gods after NSB fissioned into a passenger and a freight company. NSB Gods changed its name to CargoNet at the beginning of 2002. It is owned by NSB and the Swedish freight company Green Cargo...
carriages was parked at Alnabru Freight Terminal, pending use later in the day. The train sped downhill from Alnabru (about 90 m.a.s.l) for several miles, without a locomotive. The train hurtled out of control, smashing into a building and plunging into Oslofjord
Oslofjord
The Oslofjord is a bay in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the Torbjørnskjær and Færder lighthouses and down to Langesund in the south to Oslo in the north....
. The structure, where several people had been working, collapsed and part of the train fell into the fjord. According to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, the Norwegian National Rail Administration tried to derail the train using a derail switch at Alnabru Freight Terminal, but without success. The set of carriages was always rolling on a freight track, and therefore there was no danger that it would roll towards Oslo Central Station. When the train was driving through Loenga yard, the centralized traffic control set a derailer so the runaway freight train could derail automatically. But also this device failed. Exactly how the train cars became detached and began to roll from Alnabru is still a mystery. However, later it was clarified by Norwegian Accident Investigation Board that the brakes on the cars did not work as they should, but it remains unclear whether human or technical error prevented the track brakes from functioning properly.
Accident report
On 3 May 2010, the preliminary accident report was submitted by the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board. It stated that were confusions between train managers at Alnabru which triggered the crash. It was a "misunderstanding between the shunter and another train manager" which caused the empty freight cars to roll. The train manager released the brakes on the carriages, in the belief that they were connected to a switcherSwitcher
A switcher or shunter is a small railroad locomotive intended not for moving trains over long distances but rather for assembling trains ready for a road locomotive to take over, disassembling a train that has been...
, which they were not. When the runaway train was first discovered, it already had changed to track A5, which is one of the two tracks at Alnabru Freight Terminal that have no connection to a so-called emergency track. After that, there were no barriers in the proximity of Alnabru that could stop the runaway train. Human error is therefore seen as the main cause of the fatal train crash.
Criminal charges
On 14 September 2010 the Norwegian Prosecuting AuthorityNorwegian Prosecuting Authority
Norwegian Prosecuting Authority is a body subordinate to the Norwegian Council of State.This body is responsible for legal prosecutions in Norway. It is divided into three branches. The third branch is the Prosecuting Authority in the Police. The first two, the Office of the Director of Public...
decided to fine the Norwegian National Rail Administration and CargoNet
CargoNet
CargoNet AS is the primary operator of freight trains on the Norwegian railway system. It was formed as NSB Gods after NSB fissioned into a passenger and a freight company. NSB Gods changed its name to CargoNet at the beginning of 2002. It is owned by NSB and the Swedish freight company Green Cargo...
with 15 and 7 million Norwegian Krone respectively. Unlike the rail administration, CargoNet have not accepted the fine.