the speed
For many years, trains have attained this and higher speeds in complete safety. Indeed many hundreds of ICE trains had passed the site of the accident without mishap. Of course, these did not suffer a derailment. However, trains elsewhere have derailed at high speeds yet they have been brought to a halt giving passengers little more than bruising and a severe shaking.
There is ample evidence that high-speed rail crashes need not be as catastrophic as the Eschede disaster.. In a recent incident in Britain an IC225 sustained a broken wheel and derailed at 100 mph. The train came to a halt safely albeit amid a shower of ballast. In France, TGV trains have been involved in a number of potentially serious situations yet without the consequences of Eschede.
Although undoubtedly, the speed at which ICE 884 was travelling, 200km/h contributed to the horrific death toll, it was within the limits set for the line and certainly within the capabilities of the train. The ICE 1 has a cruising speed of 280Km/h (174 mph). In other rail accidents where speed has been a factor, it was excessive speed that caused the disaster. This was clearly not the case at Eschede. It is therefore necessary to look elsewhere for causal factors. back more