Eckwersheim derailment

Eckwersheim derailment

Rear power car of derailed train
Location within France
Date	14 November 2015 (2015-11-14)
Time	15:05 (CET)
Location	Eckwersheim, Bas-Rhin
Coordinates	48°41′25″N 7°42′19″E / 48.6902°N 7.7053°E / 48.6902; 7.7053Coordinates: 48°41′25″N 7°42′19″E / 48.6902°N 7.7053°E / 48.6902; 7.7053
Country	France
Rail line	LGV Est phase 2
Operator	SNCF
Type of incident	Derailment
Cause	Excessive speed on curve due to late braking
Statistics
Trains	One
Passengers	4
Crew	49
Deaths	11
Injuries	42, including 22 seriously injured

External images

Aerial overview of the crash site

The test train

On 14 November 2015, a TGV train derailed in Eckwersheim, Alsace, France, while performing commissioning trials on the second phase of the LGV Est high-speed rail line, which was scheduled to open for commercial service five months later. The derailment resulted in 11 deaths among those aboard, while the 42 others aboard the train were injured. It was the first fatal derailment in the history of the TGV and the third derailment since the TGV entered commercial service in 1981.

The test train was traveling eastbound on the southern track when it entered a curve at 265 km/h (165 mph)—which was 89 km/h (55 mph) above its assigned speed—causing the rear bogie of the lead power car to derail to the left (outside of curve) due to centrifugal forces. The lead power car separated from the rest of the train, and the rear of the lead power car struck the concrete parapet on the abutment to a bridge over the Marne–Rhine Canal. The power car slid along the left parapet of the bridge and overturned, sliding down the embankment and coming to a rest 150 metres (490 ft) beyond the end of the bridge. Cars 2–7 derailed before the bridge and travelled off the embankment with enough speed to overshoot the canal and come to rest 80–130 m (260–430 ft) beyond the beginning of the bridge. Cars 8–9 came to rest on the east bank of the canal and the rear power car ended up partially submerged in the canal. According to investigators, late braking, which led to the train entering the curve at excessive speed, was the immediate cause of the accident. Criminal and technical investigations are ongoing^[update]. French national rail operator SNCF suspended test trials at high speeds until the lessons learned from the investigation were integrated into testing process. The scheduled opening of the second phase of the LGV Est for commercial service was delayed three months, from 3 April 2016 to 3 July 2016.

The LGV Est européenne (often shortened to LGV Est) is a high-speed rail line connecting Paris and Strasbourg. Development has been divided into two phases. The first phase, from Vaires-sur-Marne near Paris, to Baudrecourt opened on 10 June 2007. Construction on the 106 km (66 mi) second phase, from Baudrecourt to Vendenheim, near Strasbourg, began in 2010. The final weld of rails on the second phase occurred in March 2015, marking the completion of the line, although some work remained. At the time of the derailment, the line was scheduled to open for commercial service on 3 April 2016, following commissioning trials and training for operators.