Freight train loaded with over 300,000 litres of diesel derails in Lamphun province

[webfact]

LAMPHUN -- A freight train loaded with over 300,000 litres of diesel derailed near Nonglom railway station in Lamphun province, paralysing rail service between Bangkok and the northern cities this morning.

Railway officials said they didn’t expect to put the freight train back on tracks soon as 300,000 litres of diesel are still leaking from broken tanks.

Passengers who have tickets to the northern cities of Lamphun and Chiang Mai today are advised to refund their tickets at Bangkok station.

Maintenance of the rail line and the cleaning of the leaked oil could take over six hours.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/145346-2

-- Thai PBS 2016-01-06

[webfact]

Oil train derails in Lamphun



LAMPHUN: -- An oil train hauling oil and cement from Saraburi to Chiang Mai derailed early this morning in Lamphun province, spilling more than 300,000 litres of diesel oil on the railroad.

The derailment of the oil train of 13 tankers crippled the rail service from Chiang Mai to Bangkok as all the oil tankers ran out and blocked the tracks.

State Railway of Thailand (SRT) official said it would take several hours before the tracks are cleared of the ruptured tankers that spilled thousands of litres of diesel into the area.

Passengers can now refund train tickets at Bangkok railway station.

The oil train was on its way to deliver diesel oil and cement to PTT oil depot in Chiang Mai from Saraburi.

However the train derailed at Nonglom railway station in Lamphun.

After the trail derailed and some of the ruptured oil tankers were leaking oil, railway officials and local police were alerted and the area was sealed off to prevent villagers near the scene to snatch the oil and to prevent the oil to catch fire.

It was not immediately known what caused the oil train to derail, but a train employee said there was a sound of explosion and the train then ran off the tracks.

Latest report said railway officials assured the train service could be resumed at 5 pm today.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/oil-train-derails-in-lamphun

-- Thai PBS 2016-01-06

[cooked]

"Passengers can now refund train tickets at Bangkok railway station."

... meaning that buses were not laid on for further travel?

[apetley]

I seem to remember this line being closed for 6 weeks only 2 years ago for a major track upgrade to prevent this sort of thing happening.

[FourAces]

Oil+Cement = bitumen at least the red clay roads in the immediate vicinity will get a face lift

[FangFerang]

Maintenance funds are the most easily raided fund pools in the whole world.

[SOTIRIOS]

...does it make sense to haul oil.......... and cement....

...so much for saving money...

[Dublin]

And they want to build a high speed rail system, that will be one train i will never ride and take my chances on the highway,

Edited January 6, 2016 by Dublin

[swifty5x5]

And they want to build a high speed rail system, that will be one train i will never ride and take my chances on the highway,

I think they would have to build separate track. They could not run high speed on freight lines.

[Muhendis]

And they want to build a high speed rail system, that will be one train i will never ride and take my chances on the highway,

I think they would have to build separate track. They could not run high speed on freight lines.

It seems they can't run freight on freight lines

[springheeled jack]

something else they cant sort out ? this fuel should have been syphoned off not allowed to leak another case of rank bad management when will they ever learn.

[Dublin]

And they want to build a high speed rail system, that will be one train i will never ride and take my chances on the highway,

I think they would have to build separate track. They could not run high speed on freight lines.

It seems they can't run freight on freight lines

Of course they will build a high speed line, my point is they cant keep a slow train on the tracks what chance have they with high speed,,, as I'm sure you are aware safety is not high on the agenda in Thailand

[Ricardo]

I seem to remember this line being closed for 6 weeks only 2 years ago for a major track upgrade to prevent this sort of thing happening.

It was announced as being 6-weeks, but eventually took more than double that, to complete IIRC.

Interestingly the SRT had 300-km-worth of new concrete sleepers available immediately for the project, which suggests that stock-control may not be their greatest strength,or a cynic might suspect that perhaps relaying track is less 'thirsty-work' than ordering the materials with which to do so, and thus generates less tea-money ?

[MaiChai]

SRT: hub of derailments!

[Kilowatt]

I am riding past Lampoon on my way to lampang for lunch.

Nice ride so far

[Ricardo]

I am riding past Lampoon on my way to lampang for lunch.

Nice ride so far

Yes, it's a good run, with great views up-to & then down-from the Kuan-Tan tunnel !

Would make an excellent steam-excursion for the Chiang Mai tourists, serving brunch on the way down, then a few hours touring/exploring Lampang, before an afternoon-tea with local-strawberries & cream on the way back.

[ratcatcher]

"....but a train employee said there was a sound of explosion and the train then ran off the tracks. (derailed) "

Could be the start of a terror campaign on the nation's railway system?

[Traveling Sailor]

And they want to build a high speed rail system, that will be one train i will never ride and take my chances on the highway,

I think they would have to build separate track. They could not run high speed on freight lines.

It seems they can't run freight on freight lines

Ah yes. Welcome to Thailand. Home of narrow gauge rails and one set of rails. Too bad the current government isn't going to replace ALL of the narrow gauge rails with standard gauge and install a second set of rails country wide.