C9/​2000R Tank wag­ons de­rail­ing on rail­way yard hump in Tam­pere, on De­cem­ber 1, 2000

01.12.2001

On Friday December 1, 2000, two tank wagons loaded with ammonia derailed on a hump in Tampere railway yard. In the accident sleepers and rail brakes were damaged. Also the point element, the point operating gear and the point levers were damaged and had to be replaced.

The accident was a result of the breaking of the rail brake clamps and the dropping down of the brake cylinder on the rail screws in the rail head. Consequently the brake cylinder became incapable of rotating, lifting thus the wheel flange up and causing the wagon to derail.

In order to avoid corresponding accidents, the Accident Investigation Board of Finland recommends that tracks 210-217 on Viinikka railway yard in Tampere be equipped with signals featuring a dependency on the position of the rail brakes. Furthermore the Accident Investigation Board recommends that Tampere and Kouvola railway yards be equipped with transshipment installations for toxic gases, and that fire escape routes and a fire extinction water network be built to cover the west side of Tampere railway yard.

Recommendation S167
Recommendation S168
Recommendation S169