Express train derailed by fallen rock as earthquake aftershocks continue to rattle Taiwan’s east coast

An express train bound for Taipei City derailed after hitting a boulder that fell onto the tracks in last night, but fortunately nobody was injured in the accident. According to reports, the Puyuma express train #445 from Taitung to New Taipei City hit a boulder and derailed near Heping Train Station in Xiulin Township in Hualien County at 9:10 pm. The accident caused traffic in both directions of the railway to be stopped. None of the 146 passengers or staff

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Victims’ remains found on train 2 years after disastrous train derailment

Pieces of human skull, bloodied clothing, and personal belongings of victims were found in the wrecked carriage of a train that stands as a memorial to one of Taiwan’s worst train accidents in a railway park in northern Taiwan today, September 1. Police investigators and Taiwan Railway Administration staff made the findings during a carpet search of of the train car after a piece of skull was found by a representative of the victims’ families during a visit to the

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Drunk driver slightly injured after crashing into east coast express train

A man driving while over the legal alcohol limit crashed into an express train on a level crossing in Hualien County this morning, but fortunately nobody on board the train was injured. According to reports, the Taroko Express train #401 bound for Taipei from Taitung City was passing through a level crossing in Xiulin Township at 6:44 am when a white sedan crashed into the third and fourth cars of the train. The driver of the car, named Lin, suffered

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Train driver dies after being hit by freight train while crossing the tracks

A train driver about to start his shift died after he was hit and run over by a freight train while he was crossing the tracks at Yilan Station yesterday, Wednesday evening, July 27. Liberty Times reported that the 51-year-old freight train driver, named Wu was crossing the tracks from Platform 2 to reach his train No.7,557 when he was hit by freight train No.7,556 as it entered the station at 8:33 pm. Firefighters said that Wu was obviously dead

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Driver dead after car crushed by train

A man died after crashing his car and landing on railway tracks before being hit by a train in Chiayi County last night, April 7. At around 11:40 pm a 40-year-old resident of Tainan City, named Hsu was traveling northbound on Provincial Highway 1 in Shuishang Township, Chiayi County when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a roadside tree. Hsu’s black Toyota Altis sedan flew over a 1.5-meter-high fence onto railway tracks, and was then hit by

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Express train hit by steel rail raises spectre of past disaster

A windscreen was damaged, but no injuries were reported, after a steel rail from a trackside construction project fell onto the tracks and hit a train in New Taipei City this morning, Tuesday, December 1. Taiwan Rail Administration (TRA) reported that the Taroko class express train was hit by a steel rail at 8:52 am between Dali and Fulong stations, causing the windscreen to be cracked. The steel rail fell from a slope stabilization project around 7-8 meters away from

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Train driver sentenced over derailment that took 18 lives, injured more than 200

The driver of a train that derailed in Yilan County, Taiwan, in October 2018, was sentenced to a four-year, six-month prison term after being found guilty of professional negligence causing death, by the Yilan District Court today, Monday, October 18. The court found that Yu Chen-chung (尤振仲) was responsible for the inspection and passing of the Automatic Train Protection System (ATP), which Yu admitted he had turned off before the accident. The ATP was designed to automatically slow the train

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Last 10 seconds of train dashcam shows driver had just a few seconds to react before derailment disaster

A video shown by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at a press conference today showed that the driver of a train that derailed and crashed Friday had barely 3 seconds to react to an obstacle on the track. The 10-second video shows the train exiting from a tunnel and rounding a curve before a truck that had rolled onto the track comes into view at the six-second mark. The train is then seen colliding with the truck at 9

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Taiwan train crash a “Hell on Earth:” even experienced search and rescue personnel brought to tears

The aftermath of a train crash and derailment in Hualien County was a “purgatory on earth” said an exhausted member of a search and rescue team, as as he exited the tunnel at the end of a long shift. “I have served on many rescue missions, but this is the first time I shed tears.” On the evening of April 2, 2021, around 9 hours after a packed-to-capacity express train travelling at more than 100 kilometers per hour smashed into

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Express train crashes and derails in east coast tunnel: Dozens dead

At least 48 people are dead, and more than 70 injured after an express train derailed in a tunnel on Taiwan’s east coat near Hualien City this morning, April 2. The number 408 Ziqiang express train from Shulin to Taitung City derailed as it was entering the Qingshui Tunnel between Chongde and Heren stations at 9:28 am. More than 350 people were aboard the 8-carriage train, which was fully booked as today is the first day of 4-day holiday for

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Train driver, three passengers injured in level crossing collision

Four people were taken to hospital after a local commuter train hit a truck on a level crossing in Kaohsiung City this afternoon. The collision occurred at 1:13 pm on a level crossing near the Nandong cement factory between XinZuoying and Nanzi Stations. The local shuttle service #3198 train suffered serious impact damage to the front cabin and was derailed. Train traffic was blocked in both directions affecting 34 trains and an estimated 5,090 passengers by 5:00 pm. Single-line two-way

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