Three years after the train accident: detection of scandalous defects!

Three years after the train accident: detection of scandalous defects!

Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Deutschland - On June 3, 2022, a tragic train accident occurred in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which cost five people the lives and 78 other injured, 16 of them seriously. On the occasion of the third anniversary of this disaster, the final report of the Federal Office for Railway Accident Investigation (BEU) was published. According to this report, inadequate maintenance management for railway thresholds and internal communication deficits have been identified as the main causes. The report clearly shows that critical information from a railcar guide about problems at the scene of the accident was not passed on, which gave rise to the situation.

The accident occurred as a dilapidated railway thresholds failed. The Beu found that these thresholds were not visibly damaged, which indicates inadequate maintenance management. The use of different clamping concrete thresholds of different manufacturers in the affected section of the route was also classified as problematic. Encounters between train employees and maintenance standards also raised questions about possible conflicts of interest, since a railway employee might want to maintain the company, which could lead to the neglect of the dangers.

consequences and measures of Deutsche Bahn

After the accident, Deutsche Bahn (DB) replaced over 1.7 million thresholds and implemented special measures to improve security standards. In particular, the inspection guidelines were revised and the criteria for error assessment were tightened. In addition, ongoing training and sensitization measures for risk perception have become necessary for employees.

The estimated damage amounts to 4.75 million euros, and the affected route was closed for months. The Munich public prosecutor has already investigated four train employees for negligent killing. Among the victims were a 13-year-old boy and four women, two of whom had fled from Ukraine. These sad circumstances make the urgency of security measures on the railway lines particularly clear.

studies and future steps

Bayern's transport minister Christian Bernreiter has called for the implementation of all Bavarian railway lines to defective concrete thresholds. In view of the fact that 700 million euros are paid to the train annually, this is a necessary step to ensure the safety of passengers. The BEU interim report, which was published two years ago, also emphasized that the lack of the superstructure of the railway line was identified as the primary cause of the accident and that special inspections and exchange programs for damaged concrete thresholds have been tackled since then.

Current and for now, the criminal lawsuit of the accident is still missing. However, the investigation shows that structural and communicative deficits in the maintenance organization of the DB urgently need to be remedied in order to prevent future tragedies. The entire incident underlines the need for clear communication structures and careful maintenance monitoring on railway lines in Germany.

The Beu has also found that the railway leader has led unclear expression in the problem description of the problem. This shows how important clear communication is in the context of security reports within the train.