worst train accident

The ICE 884 Train

1991-1998

Germany, Munich

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 In 1991, Germany introduced the ICE884, one of the world's
fastest trains. The reinforced aluminum train was distinguished by
electronic train control programs, a top speed of 250 km per hour, and
a high level of safety and comfort.
The train had 12 wagons and 800 seats, and it was so technologically
advanced that an American transportation company wanted to copy it.
However, in 1998, a train derailed and crashed into an adjacent
bridge, killing nearly 101 people. More than 200 people were hurt.
To put the magnitude of the accident into perspective, the twelve
trailers piled up to the size of one wagon.

The start was a year after the launch of the train, when many
complaints about the presence of vibrations in the train and annoying
vibration sounds.
The German company conducted some investigations and tests and
discovered that the source of the vibrations was from the tires, and
the tires used were monoblock tires.

These tires were of high safety and stability

on the rails, but they were a source of
inconvenience to the passengers, so the
company decided to replace them with
double-wheeled wheels.
Figure 1 monoblock tires
But this type of wheels needs good periodic
maintenance, and as early as 1992, the Fraunhofer Insitute expressed
concern that metal fatigue could lead to wheel rim failure. but the
company neglected this aspect. Six years later, on one of the trips to
Munich and the train was traveling at a speed of 200 km per hour, a
loud sound was heard and an iron bar pierced the floor of one of the
cars, and the train ran about 6 km on this The situation until he
reached a crossroads, and the metal bar stuck at the bottom of the car
tore off part of the rail at the junction, which led to the diversion of
the rear trailers and the train derailment at a speed of 200 km per
hour, and the disaster struck.

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Where did the metal rod come from?

The rubber cushioned wheels, which had been used successfully on

streetcars, were not suitable for the heavier load of ICE trains
operating at much higher speeds.

Between the metal wheel rim and the wheel body, a 20mm thick
rubber damping ring was added to the mono-block wheel design.
Researchers later discovered that, while the new design reduced
vibrations, it weakened the wheel, making it far more dangerous than
before. The modified (thinner)
wheel rims were further weakened
by normal operational wear. causing
one to separate from the wheel
body and become embedded in the
floor of the first passenger coach.

Corrosion occurs when a

movement is repeated over and over, which leads
to a weak point in the iron (the outer ring).
The outer tire (the outer ring) of the wheel is
compressed every time it rotates due to the large
load that it carries, although it is compressed
simply, but it is repeated frequently and very
quickly.
And the matter got worse because of the rubber
layer because it is an elasticity material
And with frequent use and poor maintenance, the
iron of the outer ring erodes and breaks.

Conclusion:
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 In the end, the main cause of the accident was the negligence of
the train company, the lack of periodic maintenance and the use of an
inappropriate type of tire, which led to the failure of a work that lasted
for years and a cost of more than 60 million dollars.

References:
ahmed. (2015, 5 3). Germany's worst train disaster. Retrieved from
Made for minds: https://www.dw.com/en/eschede-germanys-
worst-train-disaster-remembered-20-years-on/a-44056391

Alyafai, O. (2018, 7 28). ‫ما قبل الكارثة القطار السريع‬. Retrieved from
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hbmB2SFMdrM&t=236s

Kieselbach, R. (2003). The railway accident of Eschede - technical

background. Switzerland : SCIENCE@DIRECT•.