A tragedy in Spain

I don't suppose this will make the news other than in Spain.

There was a terrible accident involving a high speed train last night. It seems that a group of youngsters (teens ??) were out celebrating and instead of using the underpass at the station they crossed the tracks - directly into the path of an AVE (?) which it is thought was travelling in excess of 150kmh. So far figures say 12 killed outright , 3 in critical condition and several more with bad injuries.

Very, very sad !

Patrick, it did actually make the BBC Breakfast News this morning, I caught some of it as I was getting ready to leave for work. As you say, enormously sad, and all the more so for being so easily avoidable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10399126.stm

As you rightly say, an avoidable tragedy.

Mikey

It didn't get much publicity down here on the south coast, but just goes to show that alcohol and sensibility do not go hand in hand.

It reminds me of an incident when I was in India for a period of time. Apparently there was a large fireworks display and about 150 people decided they would get a better look from the nearby railway tracks until a night express ran into them killing 45 and injuring a lot more. The Times of India reported the findings of the Railway Accident Investigation and Coroner's Inquest which came to the short conclusion that, "This was not a railway accident, the train was where it was meant to be, the people were trespassing where they should not be."

Although both these incidents are tragic, that statement really sums it up.

Mike

Dangerous things....pedestrians. I once ran across the main 4 track line at Chelles. I can see now the stupidity.

On a different subject I've been looking at your website with the 2ft gauge railway. Very interesting, a lot of work and rather sad that it was all dismantled.

Do you have any plans for a rebuild in Spain?

If such a thing happened in the US, the railroad would immediately be sued by the survivors and victims' relatives for negligence. We wouldn't want to hold anybody responsible for their stupidity.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

On a different subject I've been looking at your website with the 2ft gauge railway. Very interesting, a lot of work and rather sad that it was all dismantled.

Do you have any plans for a rebuild in Spain?

It was a lot of work but my wife and I got a lot of enjoyment from it. Unfortunately, where we live now 2ft is really out of the question, except maybe down the 50m drive! But for now I am going to try 1:12 trams...