Train accident in Garmisch: Damaged concrete sleepers as the cause of death!

Train accident in Garmisch: Damaged concrete sleepers as the cause of death!

There was a tragic train accident in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in June 2022, in which five people lost their lives and 78 were injured. An internal report from Deutsche Bahn has now revealed that this accident could have been prevented. The extensive investigation, which lasted over three years and was carried out by a law firm, came to the conclusion that ingenious errors and negligent behavior on site were the cause. 60 people were interviewed and around ten million data points were analyzed to clarify the exact process. “Tagesschau” reports that damaged concrete sleepers were the main cause of the derailment of the regional train.

On June 3, 2022, three carriages of the train derailed and remained on the roof. What was particularly tragic was that the victims included a 13-year-old boy and four women, including two Ukrainian refugees. The number of injuries is alarming: 78 people were injured, 16 of them seriously. The report by the Federal Bureau of Railway Accident Investigation (BEU) found that not only the damaged concrete sleepers, but also other infrastructural defects in the railway line had a significant influence on the cause of the accident. According to the report, damage to the prestressed concrete sleepers was responsible for the rail supports breaking away, which ultimately led to the derailment. The inadequate communication at the scene of the accident was also highlighted as problematic, as a railcar driver had pointed out a problem but no report was made. The BEU writes that the dilapidated railway sleepers are to be classified as the main cause of the accident.

Reactions and consequences

Philipp Nagl, CEO of DB InfraGO, expressed shock at the results of the report. The company is now planning to take action against persons acting in breach of duty and is examining claims for compensation against former board members. “BR” further reports that Deutsche Bahn has started a sleeper replacement program. To date, two million risky sleepers have already been replaced and the plan calls for the replacement of around 480,000 concrete sleepers.

In addition, a trial against two railway employees for negligent homicide and bodily harm will begin in October. Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter called for a comprehensive inspection of all railway lines in Bavaria for defective concrete sleepers, a step that appears more than justified given the significant annual payments of 700 million euros to Deutsche Bahn.

A look into the future

After the accident, Deutsche Bahn not only initiated special inspections to evaluate all railway lines, but also carried out training and awareness-raising measures for staff in order to prevent similar incidents in the future. DB Netz, which was responsible at the time of the accident, no longer exists and the infrastructure is now managed by DB InfraGO. It remains to be hoped that the conclusions drawn will actually lead to a more sustainable safety culture in rail transport.