C4/2004R Freight wagons derailing on Pieksämäki railway yard on 11 May, 2004

On Tuesday May 11, 2004 the fifth and sixth wagons of freight train T 2211A travelling from Kouvola to Pieksämäki, derailed on Pieksämäki railway yard. The bogies of the sixth wagon were badly damaged and track was also damaged over a distance of about 80 metres.

The incident was caused by the poor condition of the track. The wooden sleepers were in poor condition and lateral deflections had generated at the rail joints. Another factor having contributed to the incident was the carriage of rails that the train was performing. In fact the first three wagons of the train that were carrying rails may have generated torsion in the rail of the outer curve and hence when proceeding, they had probably deteriorated the strength of the track.

After the incident at the incident site, about 200 new sleepers in replacement of the old ones were installed in the track and the track was reinforced and reballasted.

The Accident Investigation Board of Finland does not consider it expedient to issue any recommendations.

C4/2004R Report (pdf, 0.28 Mt)