Bullet Train Derails In China

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Bullet Train Derails In China

Posted by timothy on Saturday July 23, 2011 @04:30AM from the house-of-cards dept.

chrb writes "Xinhua is reporting that a Chinese bullet train has derailed, resulting in two of the train's coaches falling off a bridge. This comes only a few months after officials at the Railways Ministry expressed concerns that builders had ignored safety standards in the quest to build faster trains in record time — a claim that was subsequently retracted."

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Lightning involved by MagikSlinger · 2011-07-23 04:36 · Score: 5, Insightful

I don't know if it is necessarily corner cutting, but one would have thought lightning protection would have been one of the obvious things they would have engineered. From the articles, the lightning strike disabled the train and the train behind slammed into it. Also, if a train is stalled on the track, one would think there would be someway of knowing; either through telemetry or the driver radioing "Help! My train's stuck!". So if so, why didn't the other train stop? Lots of questions... I wonder if we will ever truly learn the answers or will this become another of China's "let's sweep it under the carpet" moments?

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1. Re:Lightning involved by Anonymous Coward · 2011-07-23 04:53 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  It was proposed (by Siemens Signals gmbh) that a modified TVM430 system be used in China. This is what is used on the more modern TGV lines in France. It was rejected by the Chinese Railways as being too expensive so they came up with their own.
  The TVM430 uses a moving block system. This means that this accident could never have happened. This system leaves at least one complete signal section between trains. The sections are also long enough for a SPAD (signal passed at danger) that will cause an application of the brakes to AUTOMATICALLY happen to stop the train from well in excess of the normal line speed before it would slam into the back of the train that was stopped on the line.
  If my experience with the Chinese Bullet train lines is anything to go by, the phrase 'held together by duck tape' seems very apt.
  The trains themeselves might be good but the PW (Permanent Way) is very sub standard. The last time I travelled on one the ride quality remined me of the line from Euston to Rugby in the 1980's. Think bucking bronco.
  This was an accident waiting to happen.
  Anon, ex staffer with Westinghouse/Siemens Signal Systems (UK) but still employed in the Railway Business.
Re:Collision by alen · 2011-07-23 04:44 · Score: 1, Insightful

how come this never happens in the US? all our train accidents are caused by engineers texting their wives and girlfriends
Re:Collision by Aboroth · 2011-07-23 04:46 · Score: 5, Insightful

Presumably, there should have been some kind of safety system in place to deal with a relatively common natural phenomenon called lightning. Or, just the amazingly easy to predict general problem of power loss. But clearly, you are correct, the Chinese can do no wrong here.
Re:Collision by Anonymous Coward · 2011-07-23 04:49 · Score: 1, Insightful

Riiiight, it was a "lightning strike" that caused the problems.
Not like the Chinese would ever release false information to save face or anything, nope, they never do that.
subsequently "retracted" ?! by fche · 2011-07-23 05:05 · Score: 4, Insightful

No, a "retraction" means taking back, by the original commentators. In this case, some other official merely denied the claims of the whistleblower.
Re:Collision by WrongSizeGlass · 2011-07-23 05:23 · Score: 4, Insightful

Have the designers in China abandoned this?
No, they just haven't copied it yet.