Rail transport is the most popular and, compared to other modes of transport, the least dangerous. Its popularity is understandable. It is capable of providing mass transportation of people and delivery of goods at any time of the day, in any weather, and at the same time, transportation from point A to point B has a low cost.

In addition, rail transport is constantly being improved. There are high-speed trains that allow you to overcome long distances as quickly and comfortably as possible. However, they belong to the public mode of transport, which have an increased danger due to the massive flow of people.

Accidents on rail transport are extremely rare, but it is necessary to have an idea of ​​​​how to behave in such disasters.

What can cause a train accident?

The movement of the train is carried out on rail tracks using locomotive traction. The main disadvantage of this transport, which can cause an accident, is its binding to the laid canvas.

A small malfunction, any foreign object on it will cause the train to derail. In this case, given the speed of the train, there will be no instant stop.

Often an accident can be triggered by a fire, which can arise from any spark from furnaces, heating boilers, locomotives or heating cars. Collisions of trains near the train also arise due to the oversight or absent-mindedness of dispatchers and drivers.

In rare cases, the causes of accidents in railway transport can also be in such nature as hurricanes, tornadoes, blockages, rockfalls. Thick fog, downpours impair visibility, which, combined with the human factor, lead to disaster.

In case of collisions or derailment of the train, it is accompanied by a sudden stop and movement by inertia. As a result, the cars are overturned, fires and explosions occur in them, and the hull is injured.

The most negative consequences of accidents in railway transport occur during the transportation of dangerous goods: containers with chemical and/or explosive weapons, fuel. These accidents are associated with the risk of infection and poisoning. large area areas, causing significant damage to the ecosystem. It can be extremely difficult to eliminate them without consequences that will make themselves felt after a while.

To prevent accidents on the railway, it is necessary to carry out an inspection and a planned thorough inspection of not only the rolling stock, but also auxiliary devices, including fire-fighting equipment and protective equipment. Particular care must be taken in diesel locomotives, electric locomotives.

Actions in case of a catastrophe or a crash on a railway transport

Usually emergency braking occurs suddenly. If possible, the least traumatic place would be sitting on the floor. If you are standing, be sure to find yourself some kind of support. Rest your feet on a wall or seat, and hold onto the handrail with your hands. Muscles should be tensed to avoid damage to the bone apparatus.

There may be several shocks, so do not relax until you realize that the movement of the train has finally stopped. Stay away from windows during an accident, as you can get injured from shrapnel.

When buying tickets, you should be aware that the outermost carriages are damaged the most, in the center - the risk of severe damage is minimal. Each car has emergency windows. They should be used immediately after the train stops, as there is a high probability of a fire.

When leaving the car, take only the most necessary things with you: documents, money. Don't look for your luggage, it's not worth your life. Get out only on the field side to avoid getting hit by a train going on the other way.

The most dangerous situation in which you can find yourself in the event of an accident on a railway transport is a fire. From open fire, you should go to other cars, closing the doors tightly behind you. Opening windows will be a big mistake. This will only increase the fire. Toxic gas - malminite, which is released during the melting of wagons, is life-threatening. Don't inhale it. Cover your nose and mouth with any damp cloth or piece of clothing.

When moving, the train car can completely burn out within half an hour. In this case, it should pass very quickly and clearly. Once in a safe place, start helping other passengers. Don't give in to panic. Follow the instructions of conductors and other employees of the train.

After leaving the damaged train, you should move away from it for a long distance. If there is smoke and fire, then an explosion is possible later. You can protect yourself from a broken electrical wire in case of an accident on a railway transport if you move in small jumps. By doing so, you can avoid being affected by step voltage. It can usually spread up to 30 m on damp ground.

In situations where doors and emergency exits are blocked by stones, water, mudflows, you should remain calm and let them know about your location by knocking. Rescue teams will definitely come to the aid of all the victims.

Correct actions of the conductor in case of emergency

If any signs of an emergency situation (smoke, burning smell, sparking, equipment overheating) are detected at the parking lot or while the train is moving, the conductor must first of all act according to the following scheme:

• Report the situation to the head of railway transport or the chief electrician
• Proceed further in accordance with their instructions

The conductors who are in neighboring cars, having heard the alarm signal, must immediately approach the place of occurrence of an emergency situation. They should be involved in providing the necessary assistance to injured passengers, take action to prevent new accidents and help to eliminate the accident and its consequences.

In case of fire, the conductor reports the situation to the chief, then proceeds to evacuate people. In addition, he organizes the safety of official documentation and material assets. When extinguishing a fire, it is necessary to use improvised or available fire extinguishing equipment in the car.

How should the work of conductors be organized in a situation of fire during the movement of the train?

Instruction OAD RZD 959R dated May 24, 2007 contains the following procedure:

1. Duty officer contacts his partner
2. Using the stop crane, it makes an emergency stop of the transport. Exceptions for stopping are: tunnel, bridge, overpass, aqueduct. In these places it will be difficult to quickly evacuate passengers and organize fire extinguishing.
3. By internal intercom, the conductor reports the situation to the chief or the mechanic on duty, and the driver should also be notified.
4. Announce evacuation to passengers. During the day, the car should be completely de-energized, and at night only emergency lighting should be left. Open all the doors in the vestibule and fix them.
5. If there are emergency windows, open them. If there is no possibility of saving people through the doors of the vestibule, then it is necessary to break the windows behind the fire.
6. The fire in the car always spreads in the opposite direction to the movement of the train. This must be taken into account when organizing the evacuation of passengers.
7. Landing is carried out on the field side
8. Simultaneously with the evacuation, fire extinguishing should be carried out. In order not to suffocate, you should use self-rescuer isolation kits (SPI-20) or RPE (respiratory protection equipment). Be sure to know and observe the specified protective action time and exposure temperature for the kits. Such information is available in the passport to the product.
9. While extinguishing the fire, all end doors of vestibules in neighboring cars must be closed.

Fire suppression can be carried out by any improvised means. If sand is used, protect your eyes from it. To do this, do not raise the shovel too high. Using a fire-fighting cloth (felt mat), cover the fire completely with it.

If a person’s clothing catches fire, it is necessary to immediately knock him down, but not with bare hands. If it is not possible to quickly discard or tear off the tanned part of the clothing, then throw any dense fabric (tarpaulin, blanket) over the victim. This will cut off the oxygen supply and the fire will go out.

When using powder or carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, the conductor must direct the foam jet in the opposite direction from where people are. If the extinguishing agent comes into contact with the skin, remove it with any cloth, and then rinse thoroughly with water.

These types of fire extinguishers should be used in case of ignition of electrical equipment with an operating voltage of up to 1000 V. You can not bring it closer to an open fire than 1 m, and also hold on to the socket.

After removing the voltage and grounding the contact network, as well as after obtaining the appropriate permission from the electrician, you can use water or foam-based fire extinguishers to extinguish. If the voltage cannot be removed, then burning objects located near the electrical equipment should be extinguished at a distance of more than 7 m by any fire extinguishing means. However, the distance between the jet and live parts must be controlled. It should not be less than 2 m.

Rules of conduct when using railway transport

You can also protect yourself in advance if you follow the established rules of conduct while traveling by train.

These include:

• When choosing seats, give preference to the lower shelves, which are closer to the exit or emergency exits and are located in the central cars.
• Do not stand on footrests while driving.
• Do not stick your head or hands out the windows
• It is better to clarify in advance the location of fire extinguishers and emergency exit points.
• Unless absolutely necessary, do not resort to a stopcock. Remember that sudden braking can injure many passengers and cause the train to derail.
• Fix the doors in the compartment, otherwise, when stopped, they will move and can injure a person.
• Do not put heavy items, especially those with fragile items, on the top shelves.
• It is forbidden to take as hand luggage, as well as check in the luggage compartment explosive and/or flammable liquids.

Follow the basic rules of courtesy while traveling. Do not use alcohol and drugs, keep an eye on your valuables.

Elimination of the consequences of the accident

In the event of a railway accident, the arriving rescue teams first of all begin to assess the situation. They collect data on the causes of the disaster, on possible risks and areas of greatest danger.

The next step is to determine the boundaries of the consequences of the accident and cordon off the area. The source of the fire is searched for and extinguished. Victims are removed from the mangled wagons. If necessary, additional hatches are made in the cars for faster evacuation of people. At the scene of the accident, medical assistance is provided to the victims.

In the event of a fuel spill or chemical is being localized and eliminated. Must be taken into account possible harm caused by the given locality. Last but not least, work is underway to restore the railway track and power grids. You can read more about it in our article.

Railroad disasters always lead to dire consequences. And, unfortunately, Russia, like other countries, has repeatedly experienced the veracity of this statement. Her story can remember more than a dozen disasters that occurred on the railway tracks.

Mountains of torn metal and thousands of shed tears - that's what remains after such tragedies. And also, the incomprehensible sadness of mothers and wives, whose loved ones were taken by an inexorable fate. Almost all railway accidents and disasters are filled with it. Therefore, let's remember the biggest tragedies that occurred on the territory of the USSR and Russia in order to honor the memory of those who died in them.

The danger hidden in progress

When the first trains appeared, no one thought about how terrible railway accidents could be. And even after the first unmanaged diesel locomotive took the lives of 16 people in Philadelphia in 1815, the world said: “Well, sometimes it happens.”

Indeed, today it is difficult to overestimate the benefits that trains bring to our lives. Indeed, thanks to them, trips even to the most distant corners of Russia no longer seem so incredible and long as before. And yet you should never forget that progress brings not only good, but also destruction. And the stories described below are direct proof of this.

The first railway accidents in the USSR

1930 was a real horror for the railroad workers. The reason for this is two major accidents that happened in it. Subsequently, many residents of the country began to be afraid to use the services of "steam cabs", choosing more reliable means of transportation.

So, the first accident occurred on the night of September 7-8 in the Moscow region. Passenger train No. 34 arrived at the Pererve station, near the village of Maryino. The engine driver Makarov, who was driving the locomotive, immediately warned the station authorities that its train was damaged, and he had already stopped several times in order to fix the problems.

Makarov offered to replace his diesel locomotive with another one in order to avoid possible troubles. However, his request was not fulfilled. Instead, he was given an additional engine to help him, which was supposed to insure him on the way. Unfortunately, such a decision not only exacerbated the existing problem, but also led to tragic consequences.

So, when trying to move away, the reinforced diesel locomotive broke all the connections between the cabin and the passenger train. As a result, the locomotive went ahead, and the cars remained standing still. And everything would be fine if the dispatcher had not given a premature order to another train to arrive on the platform.

And here is another passenger train in full steam rushing to the platform. Only a few meters from the station, the driver notices passenger cars standing in his way. Even emergency braking did not help stop the train in time. Subsequently, more than 40 people were injured in the collision, and 13 died on the spot.

Tram-train collision

In the same year, another tragedy happened in St. Petersburg. On the railway passage, near the Moscow Gates, freight train, passing back, knocked down a passing tram. From the impact, the last car came off and fell straight onto the passenger part. Alas, by the time firefighters arrived, most of the people had already died.

Like other train accidents, this one was due to a ridiculous set of circumstances. Indeed, as the investigation showed, on that day the control center suddenly stopped working, the workers serving the tracks did not have time to switch the switches in time, and the tram driver noticed the impending threat too late.

And such an absurd set of circumstances claimed 28 human lives, and 19 surviving passengers never used public transport again.

Great railroad accidents of the post-war period

The end of the war brought peace. New cities and towns began to be built everywhere, and the first conquerors of Siberia set off on their entertaining journey along the snow-covered edge. Millions of kilometers of tracks were laid all over the country.

But the retribution for such a leap in progress was the large-scale railway disasters that occurred in the post-war years. And the worst of them happened near the Drovnino station, which is located in the Moscow region.

On August 6, 1952, locomotive No. 438 was supposed to deliver its passengers to Moscow. However, at about 2 am, he collided with a horse that was crossing the railroad tracks. Despite the small weight of the animal, the locomotive derailed and pulled the entire train behind it.

The carriages, one after another, went downhill, crushing each other with their weight. When rescuers arrived at the crash site, they saw mountains of crumpled metal that buried a third of the passengers under them. And those who survived, for a long time departed from the injuries received during the accident.

According to official figures, the railway accident in Drovnino led to the death of 109 people, injured 211 people. For a long time it was considered the largest train wreck in the USSR, until it was eclipsed by even greater grief.

1989 train accident

As mentioned earlier, the cause of many tragedies is an incredible set of circumstances. If not for them, then perhaps the world would never have felt the pain that the railway accident near Ufa (1989) brought with it.

It all started on June 4, 1989 with a gas leak 10 kilometers from the city of Auchan. It was caused by a small hole in the pipeline, which opened 40 minutes before the tragedy. Regrettably, the gas company knew about it, as the instruments showed a pressure jump in the pipes in advance. However, instead of shutting off the supply of blue fuel, they only increased its pressure.

Because of this, explosive condensate began to accumulate near the railway tracks. And when at 01:15 (local time) two passenger trains passed here, it detonated. The explosion was so strong that it scattered the wagons all over the area, as if they weighed nothing at all. But even worse, the condensate-soaked ground blazed like a torch.

The terrible consequences of the disaster near Ufa

Even the residents of Ashan, located 11 kilometers from the scene, could feel the destructive power of the explosion. A huge column of fire lit up the night sky, and many even thought that a rocket had fallen there. And even though it was just a ridiculous guess, the reality turned out to be no less terrifying.

When the first rescuers arrived at the crash site, they saw the flaming earth and the wagons of the train burned to the ground. But the most terrible thing was to hear the voices of those who could not get out of the fiery trap. Their prayers and tears still long years chased rescuers at night.

As a result, even the largest railway lines seemed insignificant in comparison with this tragedy. After all, about 600 people died from fire and burns, the same number were seriously injured. Until now, this catastrophe resonates with pain in the hearts of people who lost their relatives and friends in it.

Railway accidents in the 1990s

With the breakup Soviet Union railroad did not stop. In particular, in 1992 there were two major tragedies that claimed many human lives.

The first accident occurred at the beginning of March, on the section Velikie Luki - Rzhev. Due to the great frost, the train warning system failed, and the two trains simply did not know about the approach to each other. After that, a passenger diesel locomotive crashed into the tail of a freight train, which was standing at the crossing. As a result, 43 people will never be able to see their family again, and more than 100 were left with serious injuries.

In the same month, Riga - Moscow, ignoring the forbidding light of a traffic light, collided with a freight train. The frontal impact claimed the lives of 43 people, including the drivers of both diesel locomotives.

Tragedies of the new millennium

As it is sad, but progress cannot protect passengers from risk yet. Railway accidents in Russia occur even today, despite global improvements in the security system.

So, on July 15, 2014, another tragedy happened in the Moscow Metro. An electric train carrying passengers derailed at Victory Park - Slavyansky Boulevard. As a result, 24 people died and more than 200 were injured.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of railway accidents and they happen much more often than aviation ones. We decided to bring a list of the worst disasters on the railroad in history.

Philadelphia railroad disaster

It happened on July 15, 1815 in County Durham (England), when 16 (according to other sources 13) people died due to the explosion of a steam locomotive. The world's first recorded boiler explosion, as well as the world's first railway accident.

" Mechanical Traveler "

The Philadelphia railroad disaster is first in the world

The accident occurred during a demonstration of the Mechanical Traveler steam locomotive, created under the direction of engineer William Brunton. In previous tests, the locomotive developed a speed of about 4 km / h.The train developed a low speed and in order to impress the public, the creators decided to increase it by increasing the pressure in the boiler tank. The ensuing explosion killed 16 people. Among the dead were mainly working personnel, but a few outside observers were also hooked. In some sources, this disaster is not considered a railway one, since it did not occur on the main road, but at a special testing ground. Be that as it may, the Philadelphia railroad accident has remained in history in first place in terms of the number of deaths from the explosion of a steam boiler.

disaster on bridge over the Firth of Tay

On the evening of December 28, 1879, at 19:15, due to storm winds, the central spans of the bridge collapsed. The first bridge across the Firth of Tay was designed by renowned engineer Thomas Bouch, who was knighted for it.The first locomotive ran over the bridge on September 22, 1877, and when completed in early 1878, the bridge over the Tay became the longest in the world. The bridge was opened to regular traffic on June 1, 1878.

The train passing through it at that moment, on which 75 people were traveling, ended up in the icy water of the Tay River. All passengers died. The disaster caused the widest resonance throughout the country and in the engineering community.

Photograph of the bridge after the disaster

Subsequent investigation revealed that the bridge structure could not withstand strong winds. The locomotive of the sunken train was raised and returned to service. Bauch did not survive what happened and, after an investigation, died on October 30, 1880.

The catastrophe of 1879 is dedicated to the most famous poem Worst Poet in the World William McGonagall

ABOUT! The ill-fated bridge over the River Tay!
With this I conclude the story of sorrows,
Announcing to the world simply and without fuss,
That the supporting supports would not collapse, she-she,
As I have heard for sure from intelligent people,
When both sides leaned on buttresses,
And a lot of intelligent people are in solidarity on this issue.
For those who build houses securely,
It is impossible for them to die before their time.

Disaster near Drovnino

August 6, 1952 - at 2 am near the Drovnino station ( Moscow region) a passenger train crashed due to a horse run over. 109 people died.

The train crash in Drovnino was the largest at that time in the USSR

Approximately 15 minutes before the incident, at the entrance to the Uvarovka station, on the steam locomotive L No. 438, a searchlight burned out. The locomotive crew continued to move, and at the entrance to the Drovnino station at a speed of 50 km / h, the locomotive collided with a horse that got on the way. Due to the lack of lighting, the driver saw the animal only 50 meters away.

The locomotive derailed, the cars crawled on top of each other, lurched and fell off the embankment. 31 wagons were broken and damaged, due to the suboptimal arrangement of heavy and light wagons in the train, there were two pockets of piling up - in the middle and tail parts of the train.

The dead were buried in a mass grave at the cemetery of the village of Drovnino.

The following were brought to justice: the head of the Mozhaisk distance of the path Varyzgin, the road foreman of the 4th district Zelenov (formulation: “ For poor protection of the way and inattention to violations of the order of cattle grazing in the right of way"), as well as the chairman of the collective farm. Sverdlov Kovalkov.

Train crash at Harrow & Wealdstone station in London

October 8, 1952 - Train derailment at Harrow & Wealdstone station in London, two trains collided ( express caught up with commuter train standing in front of the platform).

Location of the accident

After 30 minutes, a third express train crashed into the blockage that arose during the crash at a speed of about 80 km / h. Dead: 112 people, injured: 340 people.

Catastrophe at Koristovka station

On November 6, 1986, passenger trains No. 635 Krivoy Rog - Kyiv and No. 38 Kyiv - Donetsk crashed at the Koristovka station of the Odessa railway. As a result of the crash, the locomotives of both trains were damaged, several passenger cars were broken. 44 people died, 100 people were injured, 27 of them seriously.

According to the official version, the driver of train No. 635 and his assistant fell asleep at their workplaces, ignored the prohibitory signal of the semaphore and collided head-on with train No. 38. During the investigation, they fully admitted their guilt and received 15 and 12 years in prison. In addition, the court ordered to recover from them for material damage 348 thousand 645 rubles in equal shares.

Catastrophe at Koristovka station in 1986 claimed the lives of 44 people

There is another version - the duty officer at the Koristovka station is to blame for the train crash and the death of people. Allegedly, knowing that train No. 38 was late, she decided to take train No. 635. At the same time, the 38th train caught up with the schedule and entered the station along the same track from the other side. There was no warning signal. After the collision, the station attendant tried to throw herself off the bridge, but was restrained - she was the mother of three children. The signal switching counter was reset, and the locomotive brigade of the 635th train was made extreme.

Railway accident near Ufa

Railway accident near Ufa - the largest in the history of Russia

Due to an accident on the pipeline during the passage of two oncoming trains, the air-fuel mixture that had accumulated in the lowland ignited, resulting in a powerful explosion that scattered the trains like matchboxes. The tragedy resulted in a gigantic fire that killed 645 people and disabled hundreds. About 200 children died during the crash. The force of the explosion was comparable to the power of the atomic bomb explosion in Hiroshima. The column of flame was visible for a hundred kilometers.

Sri Lanka, 2004 1750 dead

On December 26, 2004, the largest train crash in the history of rail transport took place. It happened due to the fault of the infamous tsunami that hit the coast of Sri Lanka.

The largest train wreck in history it was in Sri Lanka

At the moment when the passenger train was waiting for the green signal of the semaphore near the village of Peraliya, a giant tsunami wave hit the shore from the ocean, which swept away the huge train, which was 10 meters from the shore, from the railway tracks. An 80-ton diesel locomotive was thrown 50 meters away, and 30-ton cars were scattered around the area. Two wagons were swept into the ocean. Only on the third day the rescuers were able to get close to the train. Of the 1,900 people on the train, no more than 150 survived.

Rail transport is recognized as the safest mode of transport not only in Russia. However, on railways terrible catastrophes happen, daily taking away human lives. The statistics of railway accidents in the world is not as high as, but for the period from 2014 to 2016, 40 serious tragedies happened. As a result, 100 people died and 1,000 were injured.

World disasters with railway transport 2014–2105

March 20, 2014. In the town of Mersin, Turkey, a passenger train collided with a bus carrying employees from the Tarsus-Mersin industrial facility. With a powerful blow, the bus was literally cut in half. As a result of the tragedy, 9 deaths were announced, five workers were seriously injured.

9th May. All of Russia celebrates Victory Day, and 13 people died in India. There was a terrible incident on the railway, the train collided with the car. Three people with serious injuries managed to survive.

Death Express

26 of May. Churaid Station, India. The train, which was moving to Grakhpur, for unknown reasons, was traveling along the track, where at that time there was a freight train. There was a powerful collision. The tragedy claimed the lives of 40 people. 100 people were taken to different hospitals with severe injuries.

June 6th Northern part of Iran - there was a collision of a passenger train with a freight train. The train was moving towards Tehran. It was carrying 340 people, 10 of whom died.

The US rail accident statistics are also disappointing, even when taking into account the latest technological advances and high safety standards. Here, on August 18, 2014, a collision of freight trains occurred on the Hoksi branch line. The tragedy was the cause of the strongest. The authorities had to evacuate 500 people living directly in the area of ​​the fire. The death toll is two, the wounded are two.

Tragedies happen, and it is almost impossible to get official data - only information covered by licensed American media is available. Many dangerous and deadly tragedies happen every day.

Statistics on railway accidents for 2014

The statistics of railway accidents is kept in Russia in 2014-2015. However, Russian Railways is reluctant to disclose these terrible figures.

According to official information from Russian Railways, the number of accidents with deaths on railways over a period of 11 months. 2014 is 20 people. The figure is higher than for a similar reporting period 2013 by 17.6%. Whereas, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 244 people were injured in accidents. As you can see, the average is 7 times higher.

Conclusion

Rail transport is dangerous. The number of victims is less than the number from traffic accidents. But railroad accidents are not uncommon. In Russia, security is not taken too seriously - accidents happen more often. Terrible tragedies also happen in neighboring Ukraine, where security tasks are also not being fulfilled.