Hua Hin passenger train derailed

[margaretcarnes]

Just back to Petes' post a minute - re yesterdays derailment on the Kanchanaburi line.
A SHORTAGE OF WOODEN SLEEPERS? Never on this planet can such a statement from the 'powers that be' actually be true!
9 years ago there were piles of surplus wooden sleepers in HH from the work on replacing with concrete ones. I asked my MamaSan at the time if we could get hold of some. The answer was 'no' and I think Buddha was mentioned. Or maybe they were used for repairs to other tracks.
Jim will remember this and might be able to shed some light.
As for yesterdays driver slowing down to 40 - all well and good. But clearly not enough, and certainly still enough to kill when combined with tons of steel. Fortunately no deaths that time, but on a section of track known to the drivers to be unsafe I would expect any train to slow to a crawl.

[PeteC]

Now they're finally getting to the meat and potatoes! Pete

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/2 ... ling-apart

[margaretcarnes]

It's refreshing to see rail technicians speaking out about the problems. Let's hope it makes a difference.
There's still the issue though that apparently the driver fell asleep. (I'm assuming he didn't have some kind of health problem, as he managed to flee the scene?) So as well as not enough engines, there don't seem to be enough drivers either.
It is worrying, and it is a great shame, as otherwise Thailands rail infrastructure can get you most places cheaply and save what must surely still be the bigger hazard of the roads.