Fiumarella rail disaster
Encyclopedia
The Fiumarella rail disaster was one of the most serious incidents in the history of the Italian railways
. It occurred at about 7.45 am on 23 December 1961, at the Fiumarella viaduct, near Catanzaro, in the region
of Calabria
, southern Italy
.
M2.123 class diesel railcar
and Breda trailer RA 1006.
The accident occurred as the train was passing over the curved Fiumarella viaduct, about an hour after departing from Soveria Mannelli
for Catanzaro at 6:43 am. The trailer derailed from the track, due to the rupture of the tram type draw hook
, and plunged into the river below after a falling about 40 m (131 ft). Inside the trailer there were 99 passengers, many of them students. Seventy-one of them lost their lives on impact, and 28 others were injured to varying degrees.
of the right to operate the line, and appoint a Managing Government Commissioner of Ferrovie Calabro Lucane. Rail traffic on the line remained disrupted for some years, and between Catanzaro and Soveria Mannelli it was temporarily replaced by road vehicles.
At Decollatura
, place of origin of a substantial number of the victims, a monument was erected in memory of the fallen.
History of Railways in Italy
The railways in Italy are one of the most important infrastructure in the country, with c. of track.-Origins:Railways were introduced in Italy when it was still a divided country....
. It occurred at about 7.45 am on 23 December 1961, at the Fiumarella viaduct, near Catanzaro, in the region
Regions of Italy
The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state, constituting its first NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, of which five are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes....
of Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, southern Italy
South Italy
South Italy is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics , a first level NUTS region and a European Parliament constituency. South Italy encompasses six of the country's 20 regions:*Abruzzo...
.
History
The train involved in the disaster was composed of BredaSocietà Italiana Ernesto Breda
Società Italiana Ernesto Breda, more usually referred to simply as Breda was an Italian mechanical manufacturing company founded by Ernesto Breda in Milan in 1886. The firm originally manufactured locomotives and other railway machinery, but later branched out into armaments and aircraft. In 1962,...
M2.123 class diesel railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
and Breda trailer RA 1006.
The accident occurred as the train was passing over the curved Fiumarella viaduct, about an hour after departing from Soveria Mannelli
Soveria Mannelli
Soveria Mannelli is a town and comune in the province of Catanzaro, in the Calabria region of southern Italy.-Geography:The town is bordered by Bianchi , Carlopoli, Colosimi, Decollatura, Gimigliano, Pedivigliano.-History:...
for Catanzaro at 6:43 am. The trailer derailed from the track, due to the rupture of the tram type draw hook
Coupling (railway)
A coupling is a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train. The design of the coupler is standard, and is almost as important as the railway gauge, since flexibility and convenience are maximised if all rolling stock can be coupled together.The equipment that connects the couplings to the...
, and plunged into the river below after a falling about 40 m (131 ft). Inside the trailer there were 99 passengers, many of them students. Seventy-one of them lost their lives on impact, and 28 others were injured to varying degrees.
Consequences
The incident sparked a heated parliamentary debate, which led the Italian Government (by Law 1855 of 23 December 1963) to revoke the grant to the Mediterranea Calabro LucaneSocietà per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo
The Società per le Strade Ferrate del Mediterraneo , normally known as the Rete Mediterranea , was an Italian railway company from 1885 to 1905....
of the right to operate the line, and appoint a Managing Government Commissioner of Ferrovie Calabro Lucane. Rail traffic on the line remained disrupted for some years, and between Catanzaro and Soveria Mannelli it was temporarily replaced by road vehicles.
At Decollatura
Decollatura
Decollatura is a comune and town in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region of Italy.It is famous for being the birthplace of the Italian poet Michele Pane -Notes and references:* Imperio Assisi et al., Decollatura e Motta S...
, place of origin of a substantial number of the victims, a monument was erected in memory of the fallen.