C3/2005R Derailment of a Russian freight car loaded with pellets in Eskola on 27 April, 2005

An accident took place in Kannus at the Eskola yard on Wednesday 27 April 2005 at 1.47 am, where the last wagon of a train loaded with pellets, travelling from Vartius to Kokkola, became derailed and detached from the train. The train had three engines and 29 Russian wagons loaded with pellets.

The accident happened when the train arrived to undertake a coupling while in motion on track three, at which point the last wagon became derailed on the outside curve and detached from the train. There were no personal injuries. Approximately ten metres of rail and railway equipment were damaged. The derailed wagon was also damaged. The accident was caused by the stiffness of the Russian Vok-type wagon's bogies, the screw attachment of the rails, the wooden sleepers and their condition, as well as the rail type and the wear on the rail on the outside curve. The stiffness of the bogies was due to wear and lack of greasing in the pivots. The worn K43 rail attached with screws to slightly worn wooden sleepers allowed the momentary widening of the rails as the bogies broke. When this happened, the space between the rails became large enough to allow the wheels on the inside curve to slip between the rails. And after that the wheels on the outside curve rose over the rail, derailing the wagon.

Worn pivots pose a direct derailment risk on worn rails, as well as an indirect one through premature wear on the wheels. Therefore the Accident Investigation Board reiterates recommendation S58, given in investigation report C 4/1996 R and reiterated in reports C 37/1997 R and C 4/2003 R The condition of the pivots of Russian wagons snd their greasing should be ensured. C4/96R/S58 Because the condition and greasing of pivots are difficult to control when undergoing border checks, the pivots of Russian wagons should be greased every time the bogies are detached from the wagon in Finland, for example to change the wheel set. The Russian party should, furthermore, be informed of the problems caused by stiff pivots. As the problem of stiff pivots is ongoing, the Rail Administration should continue its attempts to find a system to measure the stiffness of pivots at border crossing points. In addition, any pellet wagons with stiff pivots should be directed away from the third track of the Eskola yard. The third track has wooden sleepers and the rails are fastened with screws.

C3/2005R Report (pdf, 0.33 Mt)

•Recommendation S58