Russia crash: Six dead in train crash near Moscow

[pre65]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27484148

[Beeyar Wunby]

As in the Southall collision and several others, it's always unpleasant when soft-skinned passenger trains come into contact with freight trains which are built like tanks.

The photo on the BBC site seems to show ISO containers. They have sharp edges and blunt corners on them.

Whilst around the world there have been steady improvements to improve the crashworthiness of passenger carriages, freight vehicles are still built to a price which causes them to be constructed like battering rams.

Maybe one day there will be legislation to make freight vehicles & containers which run over passenger lines less damaging.

But of course life is cheap and big business calls the shots. I suspect something really big and nasty would have to happen before things change.

BW

[27vet]

Indeed, containers are rock solid. Very unfortunate that they derailed when the passenger train was passing.