Train Derailing Becoming More Common?

[sabaijai]

From today's BKK Post:

Train services on the northern line resumed yesterday after the track was closed on Saturday night by a derailment in Phrae.

A carriage of the Chiang Mai-bound express train derailed between Ban Pa Kan and Ban Ping stations in Long district.

Railway work gangs had the carriage back on the track early yesterday.

The accident halted three overnight trains, State Railway of Thailand public relations chief Monthakarn Sriwilas said.

I was on a train that derailed only last month, and I've heard of two or three since January 07. I don't recall ever seeing this kind of frequency before.

[Maizefarmer]

Regular occurance - just about every month somewhere in Thailand

[baboon]

Common in the UK too. Many in sidings and at a low speed therefore most are not reported. Dont worry too much about it, you are far safer on a train than a bus in LOS. After all, you are still around to tell the tale, are you not?

[sabaijai]

Common in the UK too. Many in sidings and at a low speed therefore most are not reported. Dont worry too much about it, you are far safer on a train than a bus in LOS. After all, you are still around to tell the tale, are you not?

Only barely. This derailing was at high speed and the engineer told me, after the fact, that had we not been on a straight section of track when it occurred, there was a good chance several cars would have flipped over. I've ridden the train since then without incident but it was pretty frightening, people shook out of their bunks etc.

[sutnyod]

That must have been pretty shocking, the more as many people, including me, think train is the safest way to get around. What route was that? I go quite regularly between Bkk, Ubon and Nongkhai and nothing has happened so far *knock knock*

[meadish_sweetball]

I've noticed the same trend. If it really happened as often before as it does now, it sure was not reported in the news in the same way.

[Ulysses G.]

I've noticed this too - and trains falling in the river - so now I'm paranoid on EVERY type of transportation!

[lopburi3]

I believe there was a lot of damage during last years floods that have not been apparent enough to be repaired. I also suspect narrow gage rail does not help with stability either. Add loss running business into the mix and guess we should not be too surprised.

[sabaijai]

sutnyod the derailment was on the Chiang Mai - Bangkok line, and it occured in Utaradit Province near the village of Ban Don, about 8km N of the amphoe muang.

It was in an area that had been heavily inundated during the Utaradit floods of last year. Someone on the scene said the railbed in that area is somewhat unstable do to soil subsidence. My impression is that derailments are becoming much more common than they were say five years ago.