DERAILMENT OF GOODS TRAIN

On September 10, 1963, the Up Dover Marine continental depot train consisting of 24 loaded continental ferry vans and a bogie brakevan weighing about 618 tons, became derailed on curved track. It was drawn by a Bo-Bo 2,500 hp electric locomotive and travelling at about 60 mile/h at the time of derailment in a valley where a long steep falling gradient changed to a steep rising gradient. The train first parted between the first and second van, but the brakes were not automatically applied on the engine. It was assumed for lack of evidence of materials failure that the parting and derailment were caused by variations in cant which helped an oscillation to develop in the play between the bodies and axles. The failure to automatically apply the engine brakes when the vacuum was severed was traced to a systems design deficiency in the air-vacuum isolating valve. It was agreed that the addition of a magnet valve connected so it was energized when the exhauster switch was at "off" and de-energized when at "on" would correct this braking system deficiency.

• Corporate Authors:

  Temple Press Limited

  161-166 Fleet Street
  Longon EC4,   England 
• Authors:
  • Reed, W P
• Publication Date: 1964-8-7

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 658
• Serial:
  • RAILWAY GAZETTE
  • Volume: 120

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air brakes; Brakes; Derailments; Technology
• Uncontrolled Terms: Lateral dynamics
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Braking systems
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00037237
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 4 1994 12:00AM