Broken signalling system and failed brakes led to Eerste Fabrieke crash

[John Ashworth]

Broken signalling system and failed brakes led to Pretoria train crash

The signalling systems between two stations in Pretoria was broken for about two years and contributed to the train crash on Saturday.

That is what the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) found in its preliminary investigation after a Prasa train and a Transnet tamping machine crashed at the Eerste Fabrieke station, injuring 64 commuters and two crew members.

The RSR found the Transnet tamping machine failed at the Greenview station and lost its brakes, leading it to accelerate before crashing into the stationary Prasa train at Eerste Fabrieke station.

"Communication between the crew of the tamping machine and the Centralised Train Control (CTC) centre failed"...