Erzsébetváros railway accident

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The Erzsébetváros railway accident was the rear-end collision of an express train with a freight train on February 5, 1913 between the stations Erzsébetváros (today: Dumbrăveni ) and Medgyes (today: Mediaș ), both now in Romania , on the Hungarian state railway . A major fire and three deaths were the result. Prince Eitel Friedrich of Prussia , the second son of Kaiser Wilhelm II , who was traveling on the train , was unharmed.

Starting position

To 1 clock 30, a holding Bahnwärter a Eilgüterzug due to a defective peak signal to the train between the stations and Erzsébetváros Medgyes. In the end, two tank wagons that were filled with petroleum ran in the freight train . A brakeman drove on the last car .

The freight train was followed by the express train 601. The overhaul of the freight train was planned for Medgyes station . Because of the Prussian prince traveling in the last carriage , who was on the journey from Bucharest to Berlin , the train was run as a "court train" according to special regulations. This meant that in addition to the usual locomotive personnel, other senior officials also rode on the locomotive . These were the traffic manager and the boiler house manager of the Kronstadt station . However, they had switched from the locomotive to a company car on the train at Erzsébetváros station.

Although it was night, visibility is said to have been around 800 meters.

the accident

While the freight train started again after the unscheduled stop, the express train ran into it about 500 meters behind the point where the freight train had stopped at about 60 km / h. The last six freight cars derailed, the tank car boilers tore and the embers from the approaching locomotive immediately set the kerosene on fire.

consequences

The staff of the arriving locomotive suffered severe burns, as did some travelers . Two travelers were killed, as was the brakeman who had ridden on the last wagon of the freight train. Prince Eitel Friedrich traveled in the last carriage of the express train, which remained undamaged.

Examination result

All the railway workers involved had acted negligently: the brakeman on the end of the freight train had forgotten to set the end of the train signal . The station attendant had neglected to draw the express train's attention to the freight train driving close ahead. The locomotive crew of the express train neglected to watch the route carefully. The officials who were supposed to secure the journey because of the prince who was traveling with them had changed from the locomotive to the train at Erzsébetváros station.

literature

  • Ludwig Ritter von Stockert : Railway accidents. A contribution to railway operations theory. , Vol. 1. Leipzig 1913, pp. 169f, No. 29.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Stockert does not specify whether it is a saloon car concerned or whether the prince a passenger coaches of public transport used.

Coordinates: 46 ° 11 ′ 37.9 ″  N , 24 ° 27 ′ 55.9 ″  E