Paris Gare de Lyon english summary

At 17:35 on 28 January 2015 a train composed of two empty TGV sections derailed at a speed of 29 km/h just after the 22L switch points at Paris Gare-de-Lyon. It was proceeding from the washing depot to join line 15 at the platform from which it was to leave at 18:23 for Zurich. The train stopped about 240 metres further down the line. There were no casualties, but the rolling stock and track facilities were badly damaged.

The direct cause of the accident was a change of position of switch points 22L under the third carriage of the front train section. The first part of the train was directed as planned towards track 15 at the platform, while the second part was diverted by the switch points towards track 7. This caused four intermediate carriages to derail and end up across tracks 7 to 15.
This accidental movement of switch points 22L under the train should normally have been made impossible by a safety system referred to as “transit interlocking” installed at Signal Post 2 at Paris Gare-de-Lyon, from which the itineraries for this sector are controlled. This interlock had been canceled due to maladjustment during a preventive maintenance operation on the control system devices of these switch points carried out less than two hours previously by two maintenance personnel inexperienced in this type of work.

Analysis of this incident resulted in BEA-TT sending SNCF Réseau three recommendations to improve :

  • the quality of practical training and supervision of young SE personnel ;
  • the quality of local specifications for the maintenance of old and unconventional safety installations ;
  • the installations at Signal Posts 1 and 2 at Paris Gare-de-Lyon.

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