Hua Hin passenger train derailed

[lomuamart]

That article opens a can of worms up.

[margaretcarnes]

The rail workers could well have a point about staff shortages and excess working hours. Most other countries have strict rules on the hours which any commercial drivers can work, and that Trang/Bangkok run must be one at particular risk. It's about a 15 hour run. I would expect 2 fully qualified drivers plus at least one engineer. But - TIT sadly.
As for the committee leading the enquiry - first I wonder what their average age is. The driver is reported to be 49. Maybe older than many of the committee members? Which could account for his sacking, rather than the full enquiry and possible disciplinary action you would normally expect.
Or perhaps the committee - and SRT - just don't want to face the truth.

[kendo]

Very sad indeed, but have they given an estimate on how long the line will be closed for to recover wreckage.
Kendo.

[dtaai-maai]

The line's been open for quite some time, kendo.

[kendo]

That supprises me did they get the army in with some heavy mobile cranes.
kendo.

[PeteC]

The reporting said they had brought down specialized crane cars from Bangkok and the process began the day of the accident. Do I dare say they are specialized and well experienced in operations like this?

I think everything was back in operation within 48-72 hours. Pete

[kendo]

Pete i think you have a very good point there, a couple of large train crashes and derailments here in the U.K they had to bring in the largest mobile cranes in the country all the boom sections and counter weights come on 4-5 trucks and they have a gang of riggers and two more mobile cranes just to put them together its a big task.
I think if they started the salvage work that quick, i think you are right in it being well rehearst.
Kendo.

[moja]

can confirm specialised eqipment was on the scene around lunchtime on the day of the crash - we saw it all down whilst we were sitting having lunch

[PeteC]

Another Namtok train runs off ageing tracks
No one injured as four carriages veer off rails

Published: 15/10/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

RATCHABURI : Another train travelling on the accident-ridden Thon Buri-Namtok line to Kanchanaburi has derailed, but no one was injured.

About 80% of the passengers on the train yesterday were foreigners.

All four passenger carriages of the train derailed near Songpol sub-station in Ratchaburi's Ban Pong district, Pol Lt Col Banjong Amrit of the Ban Pong police station said.

He said there were about 280 passengers on the train.

Passengers were taken to their destination in Kanchanaburi in buses, Pol Lt Col Banjong said.

Train driver Sakdipong Sayankul said he slowed the train to 40km/h when approaching a curve near the unmanned Songpol sub-station. As the train took the curve, the locomotive ran off the rails, taking the four passenger carriages with it.

He said he was able to halt the train before any major damage could occur.

Mr Sakdipong blamed the derailment on the condition of the track.

The line from Thon Buri to Namtok was constructed during World War II and has rarely undergone repairs because of a shortage of wooden sleepers.

Yesterday's incident was the fifth in four months on the line and the second this month.

Mr Sakdipong said heavy rain in the past week had softened the soil along the route. The track where the train derailed had subsided.

Subsidence was seen along a 30km stretch of the line. Repairs are expected to cost the SRT about a million baht.

The recent spate of SRT train derailments has shaken passengers' confidence in the national rail service.

[Big Boy]

Just remember, you heard about the White Knuckle Line here first. I survived

[PeteC]

I should have started a new thread with the above but too late. Will do for any future incidents.

Things are now bordering on the criminal concerning SRT operations not only as their neglect and incompetence pertains to putting people in harms way, but also what they're doing to the reputation of the country as a tourist destination.

I wouldn't even consider traveling to the River Kwai on a train now, or anywhere else in Thailand for that matter.

Welcome to Thailand all you high season guests. Pete

[PeteC]

Talking about wooden 'sleepers'. Each year the government confiscates thousands of hardwood trees cut by illegal loggers here, and those that come over the border illegally from Burma and Cambodia. Where do these go?

Probably sold off by the government anyway, but some go to the prison system so inmates can make furniture that is sold monthly to the public at the various prisons.

They could fix their wood 'sleeper' problem for the next 50 years using some of this timber.

However, perhaps people would dig them up and steal them. Pete

[Terry]

These days, I don't know what the cost of travel is from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok by train.
In 1998 it was USD 25 for a through one way ticket, for a first class seat on KTMB to Bhukit Mertajam where we transferred to SRT Second Class sleeper (Quite good) for onward passage to Bangkok.

Just think of all those nice people who travel the same route - same tracks - same signalling - same station masters..........On the Eastern & Oriental Express and pay thousands of USD for the experience.

Would they do it if they stopped and thought of the infrastructure that this luxury train has to travel on?

Doubt it

[Bamboo Grove]

I have crossed the Tham Krasae brigde in Kanjanaburi several times while taking tourists there. Everytime after the train had crossed the bridge, I left out a sigh of relief. With the line from Kanjanaburi town to Nam Tok being really scary (altough they did some repairs there a few years ago), the train jumps and bounces over the tracks even when the speed can't be more than 60 km/h, the bridge is a disaster in waiting. This is really a shame as it is a lovely scenic ride over the bridge and brings a lot of cash to the State Railways of Thailand as tourists are naturally charged more than the locals.

[STEVE G]

I'm just amazed that 80% of the passengers in that latest incident were farangs; I wouldn't have thought that many people would get on a Thai train.
I've watched Thai trains both around Hua Hin and Issan and they just look so dilapidated that I wouldn't dream of getting on one.
Having been brought up with British Rail I'm very wary of trains as they have a habit of leaving you in the middle of nowhere for hours on end.