Collision between two S-Bahn trains near Schäftlarn: according to the investigation report, the engine driver makes two fatal mistakes

Created: 06/25/2022, 06:50

By: Franca Winkler

The collision between two S-Bahn trains keeps the public prosecutor busy: One of the train drivers is being investigated.

© Hermsdorf-Hiss

Schäftlarn – A young man died in February when two S-Bahn trains collided near Schäftlarn – ten people were seriously injured and another 47 people were slightly injured.

In the current interim report by the investigating federal agency, one of the two train drivers is heavily charged – he grossly disregarded the safety regulations twice.

The collision on the single-track route caused considerable property damage, and the route was also closed for about two weeks.

The Federal Bureau for Railway Accident Investigations (BEU) states in the recently published report that there have been no technical problems with the signals and the automated safety systems.

This so-called selective train control (PZB) ensures emergency braking at certain stopping points or at excessive speeds.

This also happened with the S-Bahn coming from the direction of Wolfratshausen before entering the Ebenhausen-Schäftlarn station.

Dispatcher was not informed

According to the report, the engine driver received emergency braking via the PZB as a result of exceeding a monitoring speed.

By pressing the free button, the engine driver released the emergency brake and continued the journey.

In such cases, the dispatcher must be informed, which the train driver did not do.

When driving on, the train driver ignored a stop signal.

Here, too, the PZB applied emergency braking.

And here, too, the journey was made by releasing the brake and without consulting the dispatcher.

For the S 7 coming from the direction of Baierbrunn, all signals were set to stop.

The train driver initiated emergency braking and the emergency braking was also triggered by the PZB safety system.

When the S-Bahn approached from the direction of Wolfratshausen, the other train was already standing still.

At 4:35 p.m., the oncoming train crashed into the stationary train at a speed of around 57 kilometers per hour.

The public prosecutor's office is continuing to investigate the engine driver, who is said to have disregarded the signals on his journey towards Munich.