http://www.independent.ie...out-looking-1789214.html
THESE are the terrifying images of a near-disaster when a train travelling at speed almost struck a car at a level crossing. There have been a total of 20 similar near-misses so far this year where motorists have failed to check for trains travelling along the line. And Iarnrod Eireann yesterday revealed there was a staggering 56 near misses in 2008. As a result, the company has installed CCTV at user operated level crossings across the network.
Today is European Level Crossing Awareness Day and the rail operator said that drivers found to be ignoring safety warnings could cause death or serious injury, and lose their driving licence. Earlier this month a motorist was banned for two years for not checking the line. Most incidents take place on the Sligo and Mayo lines, with one-in-four near misses so far this year in Sligo. In 1999 there were 2,035 live level crossings on the rail network, but this has since dropped to 1,073. Also this week.... http://www.examiner.ie/ir...ised-crossing-94637.html
A MOTORIST narrowly escaped death after an Iarnród Éireann train passed through raised barriers at a notorious railway crossing in Co Roscommon last year, it has emerged. A report by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit describes the incident at the Ballymurray level crossing on the Athlone-Westport railway line as a "near miss". CCTV footage from a safety camera located at the level crossing dramatically shows that one car passed through it approximately two seconds before the train passed at around 70mph, while another car approached the crossing but came to a stop just in time.
The incident happened at around 8.54am on June 14, 2008, when an empty train travelling from Manulla Junction in Co Mayo to Dublin passed through the level crossing at Ballymurray, Co Roscommon. The crossing, which is located on the N61 route between Roscommon town and Athlone, has a history of broad traffic-related incidents. Over the past decade, 11 incidents, including six near misses, have been reported at the Ballymurray level crossing, although none were directly related to maintenance works carried out by Iarnród Éireann. Most accidents involved the barriers being hit by trucks and other large vehicles.
Investigators from the Railway Safety Commission found that the automatic half-barriers located on either side of the crossing had been raised to allow maintenance work to be carried out. They blamed the near-fatal incident on poor communications between staff involved in the maintenance of the barriers which had led to a misunderstanding of the safety margin between trains.
"Staff had worked together regularly in the past and this familiarity led to an informal approach to communications and therefore did not follow communication procedures," said the report. It emerged that one of the maintenance staff phoned the line signalman based in Athlone at 7.49am and was informed that he had approximately 30 minutes to carry out the maintenance work.
At 8.53am, the signalman advised the linesman that a train would pass the crossing very shortly and he could work away after it had passed. A minute later the barriers were automatically lowered because of the imminent arrival of the train. However, the linesman switched the barriers to manual at the same time which resulted in the barriers being raised and the extinguishing of warning lights to oncoming road traffic. Although the linesman was immediately alerted by an alarm and switched the barriers back to automatic, it did not allow time for the barriers to be lowered.
The train driver made an emergency brake application on seeing the car pass through the level crossing and the train came to a halt on the far side of the crossing. The report did not comment on whether the driver of the vehicle was aware of how close they had come to a major accident. Alcohol and drugs tests on both the signalman and linesman proved negative. The investigators criticised Iarnród Éireann for its lack of formal procedures for the maintenance of automatic half-barriers and for having no specific risk assessment for carrying out such work.
While the latter is a case of bad procedures (And hopefully it will be rectified ASAP), it is still disgraceful that both almost came to a serious incident and both cases do show the need for anybody crossing a railway line to exercise the utmost of care.
THESE are the terrifying images of a near-disaster when a train travelling at speed almost struck a car at a level crossing. There have been a total of 20 similar near-misses so far this year where motorists have failed to check for trains travelling along the line. And Iarnrod Eireann yesterday revealed there was a staggering 56 near misses in 2008. As a result, the company has installed CCTV at user operated level crossings across the network.
Today is European Level Crossing Awareness Day and the rail operator said that drivers found to be ignoring safety warnings could cause death or serious injury, and lose their driving licence. Earlier this month a motorist was banned for two years for not checking the line. Most incidents take place on the Sligo and Mayo lines, with one-in-four near misses so far this year in Sligo. In 1999 there were 2,035 live level crossings on the rail network, but this has since dropped to 1,073. Also this week.... http://www.examiner.ie/ir...ised-crossing-94637.html
A MOTORIST narrowly escaped death after an Iarnród Éireann train passed through raised barriers at a notorious railway crossing in Co Roscommon last year, it has emerged. A report by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit describes the incident at the Ballymurray level crossing on the Athlone-Westport railway line as a "near miss". CCTV footage from a safety camera located at the level crossing dramatically shows that one car passed through it approximately two seconds before the train passed at around 70mph, while another car approached the crossing but came to a stop just in time.
The incident happened at around 8.54am on June 14, 2008, when an empty train travelling from Manulla Junction in Co Mayo to Dublin passed through the level crossing at Ballymurray, Co Roscommon. The crossing, which is located on the N61 route between Roscommon town and Athlone, has a history of broad traffic-related incidents. Over the past decade, 11 incidents, including six near misses, have been reported at the Ballymurray level crossing, although none were directly related to maintenance works carried out by Iarnród Éireann. Most accidents involved the barriers being hit by trucks and other large vehicles.
Investigators from the Railway Safety Commission found that the automatic half-barriers located on either side of the crossing had been raised to allow maintenance work to be carried out. They blamed the near-fatal incident on poor communications between staff involved in the maintenance of the barriers which had led to a misunderstanding of the safety margin between trains.
"Staff had worked together regularly in the past and this familiarity led to an informal approach to communications and therefore did not follow communication procedures," said the report. It emerged that one of the maintenance staff phoned the line signalman based in Athlone at 7.49am and was informed that he had approximately 30 minutes to carry out the maintenance work.
At 8.53am, the signalman advised the linesman that a train would pass the crossing very shortly and he could work away after it had passed. A minute later the barriers were automatically lowered because of the imminent arrival of the train. However, the linesman switched the barriers to manual at the same time which resulted in the barriers being raised and the extinguishing of warning lights to oncoming road traffic. Although the linesman was immediately alerted by an alarm and switched the barriers back to automatic, it did not allow time for the barriers to be lowered.
The train driver made an emergency brake application on seeing the car pass through the level crossing and the train came to a halt on the far side of the crossing. The report did not comment on whether the driver of the vehicle was aware of how close they had come to a major accident. Alcohol and drugs tests on both the signalman and linesman proved negative. The investigators criticised Iarnród Éireann for its lack of formal procedures for the maintenance of automatic half-barriers and for having no specific risk assessment for carrying out such work.
While the latter is a case of bad procedures (And hopefully it will be rectified ASAP), it is still disgraceful that both almost came to a serious incident and both cases do show the need for anybody crossing a railway line to exercise the utmost of care.
