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South African vintage Rovos train in runaway desaster.

  • 21-04-2010 10:48pm
    #1
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭


    A restored vintage train carrying tourists on a luxury rail safari derailed in South Africa when it ran away while its electric locomotive was being changed for a steam locomotive at Centurion station near Pretoria. Two employese were killed including a pregnant woman. .

    Rail officials told passengers and crew to jump from the runaway carriages after the brakes failed. :eek:

    Considered to be one of the most luxurious classic railways in the world with a dress code required before boarding .

    http://www.rovos.com/rovos-gallery.html

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8635303.stm

    Not the first desaster to hit Rovos, in 2008 12 vintage coaches were destroyed by fire at a depot in Pretoria,

    http://www.umgenisteamrailway.co.za/Picture_Gallery_Rovos.php


Comments

  • #2
    paulm17781
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,858 ✭✭✭paulm17781


    Wow! Maybe, old trains shouldn't be run these days.


  • #3
    Jim Martin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 806 ✭✭✭Jim Martin


    Sounds like they had allowed the brakes to leak off & hadn't scotched the wheels or applied any/sufficient handbrakes while changing locos. This is all basic railway safety stuff! Unless there was some defect with the brakes?


  • #4
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    Surely there would been a brake van with one of those wheel operated emergency brakes.

    Couldn't have had worse timing with the world cup in two months, I would have imagined they would have been booked out coming up / after this period. They only have one set of caaiages out of the three they had before the fire in 2008.


  • #5
    DWCommuter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,032 ✭✭✭DWCommuter


    From the beeb. With Video.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8637093.stm


  • #6
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    Accidents happen but rail is still by far the safest way to travel. Having witnessed at first hand a single 60ft carriage run away, it is a frightening experience as a critical, unstoppable, momentum is reached within yards whereas with instant intervention using something as simple a piece of wood or ballast can stop a disaster.


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