Koelenhof Collision

[Luca Lategan]

Found this very misleading article on Railways Africa:

Two Metrorail commuter trains collided at Koelenhof, 6km beyond Stellenbosch, on 5 July. “Teams are on site to clear the area. We expect it will not take long before services resume,” Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott was quoted saying. No further detail was revealed, except that no injuries were reported.

The line from Eersterivier junction to Muldersvlei is single, operated on the van Schoor token system. Koelenhof is mechanically signalled with semaphores. As there is only one platform, crossings involve one train entering to load and disembark passengers, then setting back into section and pulling forward into the loop.

What happened was that the one train waiting in the loop merely stood past the shunting limit and when the other train passed on the main line it 'rubbed' against the other. Why the driver was so careless is not known at this stage. While the mechanical signalling and Van Schoor train working system can not be blamed, it is unfortunate that there isn't a safety-bar type system (have a look here in place closer to the points to prevent something like this happening.

Incidently, the SMS that Northen Line commuters received that morning stated:

Trains on the Muldersvlei (sic)is subject to delays due to technical problem bus service between Stellenbosch and Muldersvlei. From CT Metrorail

For the Afrikaans/Dutch people out there, beneath is the article that appeared in our local newspaper about the incident

Eikestadnuus, Vrydag, 9 Julie 2010
TREINE SKUUR TEEN MEKAAR
Samantha van den Berg

Menige pendelaar is Maandagoggend (5 Julie) ontwrig toe twee Metrorail-treine in die verbygaan teen mekaar geskuur het.

Die voorval het ongeveer 08:27 tussen die Du Toit- en Koelenhof-stasies plaasgevind.
Volgens mnr. Tasso Steyn van die Stellenbosch Brandweer, het die stilstaande trein té naby aan die wisselaar gestaan toe die ander trein, onderweg na die Koelenhof-stasie, verby hom gekom het.
“Die twee het teen mekaar geskuur, waarna een van die voorste waens van die stilstaande trein teen ’n kragboks gestamp het.”
Niemand is in die voorval beseer nie.
Me. Riana Scott, woordvoerder vir Metrorail, sê die voorval word tans deur ’n spoorveiligheids-reguleerder ondersoek, waarna ’n volledige verslag opgestel sal word. “Indien nodig, word die prosedure verander om sodoende ’n soortgelyke voorval te verhoed.”
Die verkeer op die spoor was wel met twee ure vertraag, waarna dit om 10:05 weer na normaal teruggekeer het.
Die pendelaars moes egter by die trein wag totdat Metrorail alternatiewe vervoerreëlings vir hulle getref het.
Volgens Scott het hulle ’n busdiens vir die passasiers gereël. “Die mense het ongeduldig geraak, maar dit het tyd geneem vir die busse om daar uit te kom.”
Sy sê die tegnici gee hulle ’n aanduiding van hoe lank dit gaan neem om die probleem op te los, waarna hulle besluit wat om met die passasiers te doen. “As die ‘regmaaktyd’ korter is as wat dit die busse gaan neem om by die passasiers uit te kom, hou ons hulle gewoonlik

[Dylan Knott]

Koelenhof has safety bars for both the mainline and loop line. The goods loop line does not have one tho.

[Luca Lategan]

Ja, but it's right opposite the cabin in the middle of the platform, not nearby the points

[Dylan Knott]

Isn't it std operating procedure for the train taking the loop line to stop opposite the cabin? If the safety bars were not activated surely this would have caused a problem with the signals? I don't think they can pull the points / home signals if safety bar not activated.

[Luca Lategan]

I don't think the loop at Koelenhof is long enough. Remember, the loop at Stellenbosch is long enough to take the Transkaroo, or even longer trains, most other stations doesn't have this luxury. The safety bar only ensures that there isn't a train standing on the line that the signals are being pulled for, it isn't designed to make sure that the whole space around the line is clear as well. In the post I previously provided a link for, Gabby makes the correct statement that drivers of trolleys or other short trains must ensure that they are standing on top of the safety bar so that the signalman can't direct a train onto their line.

[Dylan Knott]

I know that. I meant the train must at least be standing on the safety bar. What probably happened is he used the platform line, then set back and pulled into the loop line.

Perhaps I will go out there tomorrow to see what the setup is.

[Steve Appleton]

The safety bar is placed on non-track-circuited tracks, to remind the Train Control Officer (TCO) that a train is standing on the track concerned and to prevent the TCO from accidently setting points into that track and clearing the signals causing a head-on or tail-on collision. The safety bar will not (and is not intended to) warn of a train that is standing foul of the clearance mark at either end of the loop (the white line - usually a painted sleeper or rail - placed just short of the two converging tracks a few metres before a set of points or crossing). The rules say that short trains and trolleys are required to stop on the safety bar and not proceed up to the clearance mark to ensure the bar is depressed.
Ensuring his train is fully inside the clearance marks is the reponsibility of both the driver and guard. There are a number of rules regarding this in the rule book including the warning hand signals to be given in the event that a train is standing foul.

[Luca Lategan]

Interesting, Steve. Handsignals by whom? On a line where you are almost gauranteed to cross a train somewhere during the journey, standing foul of the clearance mark is surely a very foolish thing to do.

[Dylan Knott]

Gaurd of metro train. TCO sometimes needs to provide hand signals, certainly the case at Swest.