Assens railway accident

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The Assens rail accidents involved buffer ramps that occurred in 1948 and 1960 at the same location in Assens , Denmark .

background

The trains running on the Tommerup – Assens railway line on the island of Funen , popularly known as Assens-grisen ( German Assens-Schwein ), were often criticized and derisively referred to as lyntrafikkens parodi (German roughly: a parody of the lightning trains ).  

Although the track was only driven slowly, there were some notable accidents. The comparatively steep driveway down to Assens train station, where the rails were often greasy, was problematic. That is why the driver had to start braking very early because the track ended at a buffer stop.

Accident on January 7, 1948

The first notable accident occurred on January 7, 1948, when the morning freight train was unable to stop on arrival at Assens station. The reason for this was reportedly a defective brake system.

The train ran over the end of the track and drove across Willemoesgade into the living room of a house. The residents were still in the bedroom, so no one was harmed there. The train driver, who came from Assens, was so badly injured that he died on the same day. A shunter was also injured.

Accident on March 1, 1960

Another accident occurred on March 1, 1960. A mixed freight and passenger train had problems with the brakes while entering the station. The train was driven by the MT 163 locomotive . The train reached the station building in Assens at about 60 km / h and ran over the buffer stop at the end of the track. The house on the other side of Willemoesgade was hit again, as in 1948.

The driver who was believed to have tried to jump off was killed. A schoolboy in the passenger car was also killed. Another person was injured so badly that they later succumbed to their injuries. Another four people were injured.

The train consisted of the MT 163 , it was followed by a freight car of the SNCB , the bogie passenger cars DSB CQM 3567, a baggage car and four freight cars.

The condition of the MT 163 after the accident was a technical total write , but it was repaired. At the time of the accident, the locomotive had only been in operation for about a week.

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Coordinates: 55 ° 16 ′ 12.1 ″  N , 9 ° 53 ′ 28 ″  E