Belgian passenger train divided, 9-3-17

[2HAP]

A Belgian passenger train has become divided near Luik/Liège whilst in service. Nobody was injured.

ANS - Een Belgische trein heeft donderdagochtend tussen Luik en Brussel de twee achterste wagons met passagiers „verloren”, aldus een woordvoerder van spoorbedrijf NMBS tegen de Belgische media. Er vielen geen gewonden en het treinverkeer werd voortgezet op één spoor.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/27764789/__Trein_verliest_volle_wagons__.html

 

[jon0844]

When was the last time such a thing happened in the UK?

I recall a pair of 365s that came apart not long after leaving King's Cross, but there was no risk of anyone attempting to walk through from one set to another given the lack of doors.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Another report with pictures here:
http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/buitenland/oeps-belgische-trein-verliest-onderweg-twee-volle-wagons
showing a view from an inter-car gangway down the track to the rest of the train, and saying that the automatic brake stopped both sections:

Het automatische remsysteem op de wagons zorgde ervoor dat de wagons direct tot stilstand kwamen

 

[2HAP]

Jonmorris0844 wrote

When was the last time such a thing happened in the UK?

Errm, last year. The empty stock movement for the Lindum Fayre became divided at Mitre Bridge Junction, West London on 3 December. (Heritage Railway, issue 223, p6).

 

[trainmania100]

Jonmorris0844 wrote



Errm, last year. The empty stock movement for the Lindum Fayre became divided at Mitre Bridge Junction, West London on 3 December. (Heritage Railway, issue 223, p6).

AH yes I remember that, a steam hauled charter if I recall

 

[ainsworth74]

When was the last time such a thing happened in the UK?

Also a few months ago near Bristol:

A train carrying more than 200 passengers "split in two" shortly after departing from a station, it has emerged.

The CrossCountry service was leaving Bristol Temple Meads when the front car separated from the rest of the carriages, the operator said.

It reportedly came to rest 14ft (4m) away.

A CrossCountry spokesman said 209 people were taken off the train, which was moved back into the station.

He said Monday's 13:30 service to Glasgow was travelling at "low speed" and the "onboard safety systems stopped the train immediately".

"At this stage there is nothing to suggest a similar problem is likely to occur on any other train of this type," he said.

An investigation has been launched.

 

[theageofthetra]

Wasn't there a Networker with a broken coupling bar a few years ago?

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Wasn't there a Networker with a broken coupling bar a few years ago?

I think that was actually a Southern class 455

Do Belgian Railways have portion working or would the coupling that failed (for whatever reason) have been coupled in a depot or carriage sidings?

In the photo in the twitter post, is the coupling missing from that coach (might just be the contrast in colour hiding it)?

 

[MarcVD]

As far as I know it was a hauled rake, not a multiple unit. So assembled in a siding with a classical chain coupler. It might have been a train with one loc at each end. I do not know what you mean by "portion working".

Envoyé de mon GT-I9505 en utilisant Tapatalk

 

[SpacePhoenix]

I do not know what you mean by "portion working".

Either when a multiple unit couples to another multiple unit at a station or a loco hauled train that has the coaches from another loco hauled train added to it

 

[Groningen]

Nice thing of the place that from Liege (Valley of the Maas) to Ans (Plateau of Hesbaye) is a stretch that goes uphill. Just like Aachen to Belgium (Liege). There is a difference of 110 meters! Imagine that that last carriage had no breaks. it would roll back to Liege.

Source: Het Spoor 08/80

 

[MarcVD]

Yes this is the steepest gradient on the belgian network. Was câble hauled in the past. Until recently all heavy trains were banked.

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[MarcVD]

Either when a multiple unit couples to another multiple unit at a station or a loco hauled train that has the coaches from another loco hauled train added to it

With MU cars we do that quite frequently.

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[D365]

Either when a multiple unit couples to another multiple unit at a station or a loco hauled train that has the coaches from another loco hauled train added to it

The last statement is not accurate.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

The last statement is not accurate.

It probably doesn't occur in the UK but it does in places like Switzerland, an example that springs to mind is the Glacier Express which divides/joins at I think it was Chur station

 

[317666]

And in Belgium you get the Blankenberge/Knokke trains which split/join at Brugge, which are formed of two shorter push-pull sets each with its own loco.

I'd hazard a guess that the train involved in the incident was a Welkenraedt - Kortrijk service, which would most probably have been topped and tailed.

 

[MarcVD]

Those trains with each their loc and a driving trailer at the other end can be seen as a big EMU... What we do not have any more is train coaches that are moved from one train to another with a shunter. We did have that in the past with international trains in Liege.

The train that broke in two was indeed a bilevel rake with a loc at each end. 2 locs are needed to reach 200 km/h on L2.

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[Crossover]

The last statement is not accurate.

It probably doesn't occur in the UK but it does in places like Switzerland, an example that springs to mind is the Glacier Express which divides/joins at I think it was Chur station

Scottish Sleeper is probably the only example of portion working where locos and coaching stock are concerned