train derailed

Train derails after landslide on Taiwan’s east coast: passengers evacuate in tunnel

passengers evacuate train in tunnel
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

The driver of an intercity express train and six passengers suffered minor injuries after a train derailed following a landslide at the entrance of a tunnel on Taiwan’s east coast line late this afternoon, Friday, June 21. According to reports, the Ziqiang Express EMU 3,000 express train, service number #229, was hit by rocks as it passed through the Heren Tunnel between Heren and Chongde Stations in Hualien County’s Xiulin Township at 4:50 pm. Pictures and video uploaded to social

Read more

Human remains found in tunnel 3 years after train disaster

remains and belongings of victims found in railway tunnel
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

Grieving family members of the victims of one of Taiwan’s worst train disasters had old wounds reopened for the second time after human remains and belongings were found in a railway tunnel in Hualien County recently. The advocacy group “Tears of Taroko,” formed by family members of victims of the April 2, 2021, Hualien Train Derailment, issued a press release this morning, May 8, informing the public that a search of the Qingshui Tunnel had uncovered the remains of 11

Read more

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

damaged derailed Puyuma express train
Earthquakes 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

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

Read more

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

Railway engineers inspect Taroko Express train memorial
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

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

Read more

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

Puyuma Express train derailed in Yilan County, Taiwan, October 21, 2018
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

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

Read more

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

screenshot from train dashcam
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

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

Read more

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

Taroko class express train
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

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

Read more

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

severely damaged lead car of train
Disaster 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

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

Read more

Tourist sugar train back on track a day after crash and derailment

derailed sugar train after level crossing collision
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

A former sugar train converted to carry tourists at an old sugar factory in Changhua County is back in operation after a collision and derailment at a level crossing yesterday, June 25. The Xihu Sugar Factory train, carrying 270 passengers was hit by a truck at around 1:30 pm yesterday afternoon, derailing the locomotive and the first two carriages, and causing the locomotive to plunge off a bridge into a drainage ditch. Fortunately, the passengers and driver of the train

Read more

Train driver, three passengers injured in level crossing collision

damaged train after hitting truck
Traffic Accidents 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , , ,

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

Read more

Express Train Derails on East Coast: at least 18 fatalities and 168 injured

Breaking News 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

[Constant Updates expected] An express train derailed at high speed in Ilan County this evening killing at least 17 and injuring more than 100 people . At 4:50pm, the Puyuma express No.6432 derailed between Dongshan and Suxin in Suao District on the east coast line. The train was carrying 310 passengers from Shulin Station in New Taipei City to Taitung City. Taiwan Rail Administration set up a level 1 disaster response command center at around 5:00pm, and the Ministry of

Read more