Detached fishplate cited as likely cause of French derailment

摘要

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says a detached switch fishplate is likely to be the cause of the derailment of an intercity train on July 12 at Bretigny-sur-Orge south of Paris in which six people died and 62 were injured. The derailment occurred as the 17.14 Paris Austerlitz -Limoges with 385 passengers on board approached Bretigny-sur-Orge at 137km/h, below the 150km/h limit for the section of track. The rear part of the train derailed, mounted the platform and came to rest on parallel tracks. SNCF says the detached fishplate was discovered in a switch 200m north of the station. Damage to the rear wheelset of the third coach of the train appears to confirm the hypothesis that the fishplate (above) caused the rear part of the train to derail.