Train hit by Boulder in France

[starrymarkb]

Two people were killed when a falling boulder derailed a tourist train in the southern French Alps, local officials and firefighters say.

At least nine people were injured.

The train was travelling from Nice to the town of Digne-les-Bains on a line which crosses gorges and viaducts at up to 1,000m (3,200ft) above sea level.

Images from the scene show the two-carriage train dangling from the tracks, the side of one carriage caved in by the rock.

Local prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger told AFP news agency that one of the dead was a Russian woman, while the other victim came from the Alps region.

One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition, while the others, including the driver, are reported to have sustained lighter injuries.

Map
"A rock the size of a car came off the mountainside and slammed into the first car of the train,'' Jean Ballester, mayor of nearby Annot, told BFM television.

There were a total of 34 people on board at the time of the accident, AFP news agency reports.

The agency adds that a total of 110 firefighters and 32 vehicles were deployed from around the region, as well as two helicopters.

They are said to have encountered difficulties in reaching the accident because of heavy snow and the isolated location.

The train travels on track that regularly receives snow and rockfalls, but regional transport official Jean-Yves Petit said that even in winter it is considered safe.

See quote - it looks similar to the West Highland in terms of terrain

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26098700

 

[johnnychips]

How unlucky can you get.

 

[Gordon]

See quote - it looks similar to the West Highland in terms of terrain
8700[/url]

Somewhat more vertiginous IMHO, as it traverses the southern edge of the high Alps, close to an area noted for its grand canyon geology




.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The size of the rock that hit the train, as stated by the report, is something to consider, with the force that an item of this size can engender.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

The size of the rock that hit the train, as stated by the report, is something to consider, with the force that an item of this size can engender.

It is very sad to hear of this incident.

I Have been on that line, it was about 4 - 5 years ago, and was a small 2 coach diesel unit and I thought rather cramped for such a long journey. I think they may have new trains now, but still only 2 cars.

I do recall it went through some very unusual landscapes, rocky and arid in parts, but a nice ride for day out from Nice. This station (CP) is a short walk beyond the SNCF Station.

They used to have steam trains on part of that line too sometimes, I don't know if they still do.

 

[Gordon]

It is very sad to hear of this incident.

, and was a small 2 coach diesel unit and I thought rather cramped for such a long journey. I think they may have new trains now, but still only 2 cars.
.

For many many years, CP services have been formed of small railcars, typical of French metre gauge railways.

It sounds like you may have travelled in the Soule DMU, which was introduced in 1984. Before that most of the railcars were single units, sometimes hauling trailers - in a similar way to the contemporary practice on standard gauge SNCF.

They were always cramped, but in the past travellers in rural France travelled on whatever they were given as a means of transport. For many a ride in a cramped railcar would have been preferable other means of transport in the area back in the 1930s. Also, for the most part passengers did not travel all the way on the line.

a good web site about the stock:
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/CP.html#anchor19523



.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

For many many years, CP services have been formed of small railcars, typical of French metre gauge railways.

It sounds like you may have travelled in the Soule DMU, which was introduced in 1984. Before that most of the railcars were single units, sometimes hauling trailers - in a similar way to the contemporary practice on standard gauge SNCF.

They were always cramped, but in the past travellers in rural France travelled on whatever they were given as a means of transport. For many a ride in a cramped railcar would have been preferable other means of transport in the area back in the 1930s. Also, for the most part passengers did not travel all the way on the line.

a good web site about the stock:
http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/CP.html#anchor19523



.

Thank you for that website link, very interesting. They do look like the stock I used. I notice that some of the photos are taken in what is described as the unused station at Digne, have they built a new station there?

On a not unrelated topic. I was in France on a rail holiday, and one of the trips was on the Aa Valley railway in the North. As well as having a steam loco, they also used an old Picasso Railcar which I travelled in. It was a most enjoyable experience, I had not come across one of those before, although I have seen other French autorails, which I think sometimes did quite long journeys on lighter used routes, for example from Le Touquet Airport to Paris, when there was the Silver Arrow rail-air services, operated in connection with BR, SNCF, BAF & BIA from Gatwick, Lydd, Southend, and also for the hovercraft service from the hovercraft station at Boulogne.

 

[ValleyLines142]

How very sad - thoughts to all of those affected as always.

 

[Gordon]

Thank you for that website link, very interesting. They do look like the stock I used. I notice that some of the photos are taken in what is described as the unused station at Digne, have they built a new station there?
…. they also used an old Picasso Railcar which I travelled in. It was a most enjoyable experience, I had not come across one of those before,

Digne:
The 'unused' refers to two things at Digne, namely the original separate metre gauge station and the standard gauge tracks of the SNCF station, which is the terminus of a branch off the Ligne de Alpes. SNCF ceased rail passenger services to Digne in 1989. Until that time, there was a 'direct' service from Grenoble to NIce, latterly named as the 'Alpazur'. For many years this service was the 'official' tourist route from Geneve to Nice and SNCF used one of their Panoramique vista dome railcars.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Digne


Here is the Alpazur service at Veynes in 1988:
http://gwizz.piwigo.com/i?/uploads/1/t/w/1twf9cska9//2012/10/25/20121025142838-a58a7944-la.jpg

Picasso

I have to say it is very unusual to hear of somebody getting to know the Picasso railcar after other French railcars as the Picasso is arguably the best known and most iconic SNCF post war railcar.

I have several photos published in the 'Le Train magazine Special bookazine on the class:

http://www.letrain.com/le-train/Catalogue/83/le-train/speciaux-laquole-trainraquo/les-autorails
in the meantime, lots of Picasso to be seen in my 1980s albums:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/3-france_1980s

http://gwizz.zenfolio.com/p342741989


I had a special arrangements for my 50th birthday at the Aa valley line:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/67-france_nord_pas_de_calais



.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Digne:
The 'unused' refers to two things at Digne, namely the original separate metre gauge station and the standard gauge tracks of the SNCF station, which is the terminus of a branch off the Ligne de Alpes. SNCF ceased rail passenger services to Digne in 1989. Until that time, there was a 'direct' service from Grenoble to NIce, latterly named as the 'Alpazur'. For many years this service was the 'official' tourist route from Geneve to Nice and SNCF used one of their Panoramique vista dome railcars.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Digne


Here is the Alpazur service at Veynes in 1988:
http://gwizz.piwigo.com/i?/uploads/1/t/w/1twf9cska9//2012/10/25/20121025142838-a58a7944-la.jpg

Picasso

I have to say it is very unusual to hear of somebody getting to know the Picasso railcar after other French railcars as the Picasso is arguably the best known and most iconic SNCF post war railcar.

I have several photos published in the 'Le Train magazine Special bookazine on the class:

http://www.letrain.com/le-train/Catalogue/83/le-train/speciaux-laquole-trainraquo/les-autorails
in the meantime, lots of Picasso to be seen in my 1980s albums:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/3-france_1980s

http://gwizz.zenfolio.com/p342741989


I had a special arrangements for my 50th birthday at the Aa valley line:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/67-france_nord_pas_de_calais



.

Thank you for your reply and all the weblinks, very interesting, I will have a proper good look at all of those when I have some spare time hopefully over the weekend.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Digne:
The 'unused' refers to two things at Digne, namely the original separate metre gauge station and the standard gauge tracks of the SNCF station, which is the terminus of a branch off the Ligne de Alpes. SNCF ceased rail passenger services to Digne in 1989. Until that time, there was a 'direct' service from Grenoble to NIce, latterly named as the 'Alpazur'. For many years this service was the 'official' tourist route from Geneve to Nice and SNCF used one of their Panoramique vista dome railcars.

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Digne


Here is the Alpazur service at Veynes in 1988:
http://gwizz.piwigo.com/i?/uploads/1/t/w/1twf9cska9//2012/10/25/20121025142838-a58a7944-la.jpg

Picasso

I have to say it is very unusual to hear of somebody getting to know the Picasso railcar after other French railcars as the Picasso is arguably the best known and most iconic SNCF post war railcar.

I have several photos published in the 'Le Train magazine Special bookazine on the class:

http://www.letrain.com/le-train/Catalogue/83/le-train/speciaux-laquole-trainraquo/les-autorails
in the meantime, lots of Picasso to be seen in my 1980s albums:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/3-france_1980s

http://gwizz.zenfolio.com/p342741989


I had a special arrangements for my 50th birthday at the Aa valley line:

http://gwizz.piwigo.com/index?/category/67-france_nord_pas_de_calais



.

I have now had a chance to look at these sites you advised, they are all very good and interesting, thank you.

Great pictures too, some of them remind me of the trip I enjoyed last year to Northern France, based in Arras and from where I travelled on several local and main SNCF Lines and some preserved railways too. .