Åsta accident
Encyclopedia
The Åsta accident was a railway
accident that occurred at 13:12:25 on 4 January 2000 at Åsta
in Åmot
, south of Rena
in Østerdalen
, Norway
. A train from Trondheim
collided with a local train from Hamar
on Rørosbanen resulting in an explosive fire. 19 people were killed while 67 survived the accident.
diesel locomotive, departed on schedule from Trondheim Central Station
at 07:45 in the morning on Tuesday 4 January 2000 with 75 people on board. Its final destination was Hamar Station
. Because connecting trains were running late, the train departure from Røros Station
was 21 minutes late. The schedule delay was partially recovered, and by arrival and departure at Rena Station
the train was running only 7 minutes late. At departure the signal
showed green, and the log
at the traffic control center
at Hamar after the accident showed that the south-bound signal on the main line was also green.
Northbound train 2369, a Class 92 diesel multiple unit
, left Hamar Station on schedule at 12:30 with 10 passengers on board. The train was headed for Rena Station, after which it was to return to Hamar. At Rustad Station the train stopped to pick up one passenger at 13:06 and, according to the schedule, the train was supposed to have remain at Rustad until 13:10 to wait for the train from north. When the train left Rustad at 13:07 with 11 persons on board, including the engineer
and conductor
, the log shows that the signal did not show green. The log also revealed that the switch
at the exit had been forced open by the northbound train.
Traffic control on the Rørosbanen line between Hamar and Røros is controlled by the Train Control Center at Hamar. The dispatcher
there was also responsible for watching the more heavily trafficked stretch south from Hamar to Eidsvoll
. There was no audible alarm
installed to warn when two trains are on collision course on this stretch, and although a message in red print may have been visible on the screen warning that an accident was imminent, the traffic controller did not observe this visual warning until 13:11:30.
At the time of the accident neither an Automatic Train Control
(ATC, a system for automatically stopping trains) nor a train radio was installed on trains on the Rørosbanen line. The only way to contact the trains was via mobile telephone
s. The mobile telephone numbers for the engineers and conductors on the trains had either been recorded on the wrong list, or had not been listed. Hence, by the time the traffic controller in Hamar recognized the problem he was unable to determine where to phone.
At 13:12:35 the trains collided at Kilometer 182,75 (61°04′08.1"N 011°21′02.9"E).
. This was despite that the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
didn't accept that the new departure procedures were to be introduced on Rørosbanen, among other things because of the special conditions there. The Rail Inspectorate protested, also to the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
, and got support there, without this changing the actual departure procedures.
occurred on the Dovre Line, killing 27 people. The accident was very similar to the one at Åsta, as it was a head-on collision on a section with CTC, after the train driver had mis-read a stop signal. In that accident's aftermath, it was concluded that a stop signal was not sufficient and in 1976 NSB decided to install automatic train stop
(ATS) on all electrified mainlines. Development of the ATS system was done by SINTEF, and Between 1980 and 1990, the system was rolled out on the main railway lines, including the Bergen, Dovre, Sørland, Ofoten, Østfold and Kongsvinger Lines. From 1995, also automatic train control
(ATC) was rolled out, allowing not just stop but also speed signals to be issues automatically.
In a 1989 report written by Det Norske Veritas
for NSB, that continued roll-out of ATC was instrumental for retaining safety on the railway network. The report recommended that all lines in Norway with centralized traffic control
(CTC) receive ATC by 1 January 1995. In particular, the Drammen Line between Oslo
and Asker
and the Vestfold Line lacked such implementation. In addition, the report stressed that all new lines receiving CTC should also receive ATC at the same time. Funding for hasten roll-out was given in 1992 and 1993, both on the Røros and the Eastern Østfold Line. The need for ATC was also specified in National Railway Plan 1994–97.
The CTC on the Røros Line south of Røros
was completed in December 1994, but without ATC. This allowed the costly manning of stations to manually operate the passing loop
s to end. The plans for ATC were completed in November 1995, and then sent on public consultation
. By April 1997, the planning process was completed. In the Norwegian Railway Plan 1998–2007, the Ministry of Transport and Communications explicitly stated that ATC, along with CTC and the train radio system Scanet
was only to be built on lines were it was profitable. The Røros Line had ATC mentioned "in the medium term", but was not part of the ten-year plan. The plan was subsequently sanctioned by the Parliament of Norway. The reasons for not allocating money was in part because of cost overrun
s from building the Gardermoen Line, and in part because centrally placed people in NSB were uncertain if the Røros Line would be kept and if it was economical to make large investments in a line which would be closed.
(GSM-R) in 2007. The system, delivered by Nokia Siemens Networks
, was on time and on budget, and made Norway one of the first countries to fully implement the system throughout Europe. After GSM-R was fully implemented on 1 November, Scanet was gradually closed. The new system has been characterized as simpler to use and giving better audio quality than Scanet.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
accident that occurred at 13:12:25 on 4 January 2000 at Åsta
Åsta
Åsta is a village in Åmot municipality, Norway. It is located seven kilometres south of the municipality centre Rena in close proximity to the Glomma river....
in Åmot
Åmot
Åmot is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rena...
, south of Rena
Rena, Norway
Rena is a small town in eastern Norway. It is the administrative centre of Åmot municipality in the Norwegian county of Hedmark. Rena is a rather rural but picturesque town, and is situated at the meeting point of Glomma and Rena rivers . The latter is one of the best for fishing in Norway.Its...
in Østerdalen
Østerdalen
Østerdalen is a valley and traditional district in Hedmark County, in Eastern Norway. It consisting of the municipalities Rendalen, Alvdal, Folldal,Tynset, Tolga and Os in the north, Elverum, Stor-Elvdal, Engerdal, Trysil and Åmot in the south.-Geography:...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. A train from Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
collided with a local train from Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
on Rørosbanen resulting in an explosive fire. 19 people were killed while 67 survived the accident.
Account of the accident
Southbound train 2301, a train hauled by a Di 3-classNSB Di 3
NSB Di 3 is a class of 35 diesel-electric locomotives built by Nydqvist och Holm for the Norwegian State Railways . The class was built between 1954 and 1969, and delivered in two series, Di 3a and Di 3b. They are based on the Electro-Motive Division F7 and are equipped with EMD 567 engines...
diesel locomotive, departed on schedule from Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station
Trondheim Central Station or Trondheim S is the main railway station serving the city of Trondheim, Norway. Located at Brattøra in the north part of the city center, it is the terminus of the Dovre Line, running southwards, and the Nordland Line, which runs north...
at 07:45 in the morning on Tuesday 4 January 2000 with 75 people on board. Its final destination was Hamar Station
Hamar Station
Hamar Station is a railway station located in downtown Hamar, Norway, on the Dovre Line and the Røros Line. The station was opened in 1862 with the construction of the narrow gauge railway between Hamar and Eidsvoll...
. Because connecting trains were running late, the train departure from Røros Station
Røros Station
Røros Station is a railway station located at Røros in Sør-Trøndelag, Norway on the Røros Line. It is located about from Oslo Central Station and it sits about above mean sea level. Service to the station is provided though regional trains operated by the Norwegian State Railways to Trondheim...
was 21 minutes late. The schedule delay was partially recovered, and by arrival and departure at Rena Station
Rena Station
Rena Station is a railway station located in Rena, Norway on the Røros Line. It is located from Oslo Central Station at above mean sea level. Services are provided by the Norwegian State Railways to Røros and Hamar...
the train was running only 7 minutes late. At departure the signal
Railway signal
A signal is a mechanical or electrical device erected beside a railway line to pass information relating to the state of the line ahead to train/engine drivers. The driver interprets the signal's indication and acts accordingly...
showed green, and the log
Data logger
A data logger is an electronic device that records data over time or in relation to location either with a built in instrument or sensor or via external instruments and sensors. Increasingly, but not entirely, they are based on a digital processor...
at the traffic control center
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
at Hamar after the accident showed that the south-bound signal on the main line was also green.
Northbound train 2369, a Class 92 diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
, left Hamar Station on schedule at 12:30 with 10 passengers on board. The train was headed for Rena Station, after which it was to return to Hamar. At Rustad Station the train stopped to pick up one passenger at 13:06 and, according to the schedule, the train was supposed to have remain at Rustad until 13:10 to wait for the train from north. When the train left Rustad at 13:07 with 11 persons on board, including the engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
, the log shows that the signal did not show green. The log also revealed that the switch
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
at the exit had been forced open by the northbound train.
Traffic control on the Rørosbanen line between Hamar and Røros is controlled by the Train Control Center at Hamar. The dispatcher
Dispatcher
Dispatchers are communications personnel responsible for receiving and transmitting pure and reliable messages, tracking vehicles and equipment, and recording other important information...
there was also responsible for watching the more heavily trafficked stretch south from Hamar to Eidsvoll
Eidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
. There was no audible alarm
Alarm
An alarm device or system of alarm devices gives an audible or visual alarm signal about a problem or condition.Alarm devices include:* burglar alarms, designed to warn of burglaries; this is often a silent alarm: the police or guards are warned without indication to the burglar, which increases...
installed to warn when two trains are on collision course on this stretch, and although a message in red print may have been visible on the screen warning that an accident was imminent, the traffic controller did not observe this visual warning until 13:11:30.
At the time of the accident neither an Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
(ATC, a system for automatically stopping trains) nor a train radio was installed on trains on the Rørosbanen line. The only way to contact the trains was via mobile telephone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s. The mobile telephone numbers for the engineers and conductors on the trains had either been recorded on the wrong list, or had not been listed. Hence, by the time the traffic controller in Hamar recognized the problem he was unable to determine where to phone.
At 13:12:35 the trains collided at Kilometer 182,75 (61°04′08.1"N 011°21′02.9"E).
Aftermath
On 1 September 2000 Jernbaneverket and Norges Statsbaner introduced new departure routines for passenger trains where only the engineer, and not both the engineer and conductor as before, where required to check that the main departure signal from a station showed go before the train started from a stationTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
. This was despite that the Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
Norwegian Railway Inspectorate
The Norwegian Railway Inspectorate is a Norwegian government agency responsible for control and supervision of rail transport in Norway, including railways, tramways, rapid transits, heritage railways and side tracks....
didn't accept that the new departure procedures were to be introduced on Rørosbanen, among other things because of the special conditions there. The Rail Inspectorate protested, also to the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
, and got support there, without this changing the actual departure procedures.
Background
On 22 February 1975 the Tretten train disasterTretten train disaster
The Tretten train disaster occurred on 22 February 1975 when a northbound train from Oslo and a southbound express train from Trondheim collided head-on north of Tretten station. With 27 killed, including seven children under 16, and 25 injured, it was the worst train crash in Norwegian...
occurred on the Dovre Line, killing 27 people. The accident was very similar to the one at Åsta, as it was a head-on collision on a section with CTC, after the train driver had mis-read a stop signal. In that accident's aftermath, it was concluded that a stop signal was not sufficient and in 1976 NSB decided to install automatic train stop
Automatic Train Stop
An automatic train stop is a system on a train that will automatically stop a train if certain situations happened to prevent accidents from happening....
(ATS) on all electrified mainlines. Development of the ATS system was done by SINTEF, and Between 1980 and 1990, the system was rolled out on the main railway lines, including the Bergen, Dovre, Sørland, Ofoten, Østfold and Kongsvinger Lines. From 1995, also automatic train control
Automatic Train Control
Automatic Train Control is a train protection system for railways, ensuring the safe and smooth operation of trains on ATC-enabled lines. Its main advantages include making possible the use of cab signalling instead of track-side signals and the use of smooth deceleration patterns in lieu of the...
(ATC) was rolled out, allowing not just stop but also speed signals to be issues automatically.
In a 1989 report written by Det Norske Veritas
Det Norske Veritas
Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas is a classification society organized as a foundation, with the objective of "Safeguarding life, property, and the environment". The organization's history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical condition...
for NSB, that continued roll-out of ATC was instrumental for retaining safety on the railway network. The report recommended that all lines in Norway with centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control
Centralized traffic control is a form of railway signalling that originated in North America and centralizes train routing decisions that were previously carried out by local signal operators or the train crews themselves. The system consists of a centralized train dispatcher's office that...
(CTC) receive ATC by 1 January 1995. In particular, the Drammen Line between Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Asker
Asker
Asker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
and the Vestfold Line lacked such implementation. In addition, the report stressed that all new lines receiving CTC should also receive ATC at the same time. Funding for hasten roll-out was given in 1992 and 1993, both on the Røros and the Eastern Østfold Line. The need for ATC was also specified in National Railway Plan 1994–97.
The CTC on the Røros Line south of Røros
Røros
is a town and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Røros. Other villages include Brekken, Glåmos, Feragen, Galåa, and Hitterdalen....
was completed in December 1994, but without ATC. This allowed the costly manning of stations to manually operate the passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s to end. The plans for ATC were completed in November 1995, and then sent on public consultation
Public consultation
Public consultation, or simply consultation, is a regulatory process by which the public's input on matters affecting them is sought. Its main goals are in improving the efficiency, transparency and public involvement in large-scale projects or laws and policies...
. By April 1997, the planning process was completed. In the Norwegian Railway Plan 1998–2007, the Ministry of Transport and Communications explicitly stated that ATC, along with CTC and the train radio system Scanet
Scanet
Scanet is a defunct, analog train radio system used by the Norwegian State Railways and later the Norwegian National Rail Administration. The system was developed by Ascom Radiocom and was installed on the primary Norwegian railways between 1993 and 1996...
was only to be built on lines were it was profitable. The Røros Line had ATC mentioned "in the medium term", but was not part of the ten-year plan. The plan was subsequently sanctioned by the Parliament of Norway. The reasons for not allocating money was in part because of cost overrun
Cost overrun
A cost overrun, also known as a cost increase or budget overrun, is an unexpected cost incurred in excess of a budgeted amount due to an under-estimation of the actual cost during budgeting...
s from building the Gardermoen Line, and in part because centrally placed people in NSB were uncertain if the Røros Line would be kept and if it was economical to make large investments in a line which would be closed.
Implementations
Scanet was replaced by Global System for Mobile Communications – RailwayGSM-R
GSM-R, Global System for Mobile Communications - Railway or GSM-Railway is an international wireless communications standard for railway communication and applications. A sub-system of European Rail Traffic Management System , it is used for communication between train and railway regulation...
(GSM-R) in 2007. The system, delivered by Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a global data networking and telecommunications equipment company headquartered in Espoo, Finland. It is a joint venture between Nokia of Finland and Siemens of Germany...
, was on time and on budget, and made Norway one of the first countries to fully implement the system throughout Europe. After GSM-R was fully implemented on 1 November, Scanet was gradually closed. The new system has been characterized as simpler to use and giving better audio quality than Scanet.