C2/2006R Freight train running through rail barrier at Karjaa, Finland on June 1st, 2006

On Thursday June 1, 2006 an accident took place at Karjaa, Finland: a freight train bumped into a rail barrier at the end of a trap siding, and the locomotive of the train derailed. As a result of the collision, the locomotive and the rail barrier were damaged.

The immediate cause of the incident was the fact that the driver of the 3046 train passed a signal in a stop position, without permission. Inadequate intercommunication between the engine driver and the remote control operator essentially contributed to the generation of the incident. The driver of the 3046 train having advised the remote control operator of a balise failure, the remote control operator pursued this discussion while giving another train permission to pass the signal in the stop position. The driver of the 3046 train hence firmly believed that the permission was granted to the train run by himself.

The Accident Investigation Board of Finland does not formulate any new safety recommendations as based on this incident, but it underscores the importance of the intercommunication proce-dures as adhering to a due form specified in the Railway Signalling Regulations (Junaturvallisuussääntö, Jt).

C2/2006R Report (pdf, 0.37 Mt)