Increased numbers of train derailments and crashes around the world only serve to strengthen emphasis on proper material design and testing, which can save time, money and most importantly, lives.
A recent high-speed train derailment in Spain killed at least 80 people and injured more than 100 after becoming separated around a bend in the track, according to CNN. One train car snapped in two during the collision, another catching on fire in the process.
The train had the capability of traveling at speeds of up to 155 miles per hour, and surveillance video from the scene showed the train hurtling around a corner at an extremely high speed. Reports from the scene indicate the driver of the train told police the train was traveling at more than 100 miles per hour, while the limit on the curve’s speed topped out at 50 mph.
Maintenance records for the train have been reported to have had no problems before the crash.
Additionally, safety and inspection standards in Canada have been improved after a driverless car carrying crude oil accelerated into a town near Quebec after a potential brake failure, destroying part of a small town and killing 47 people, according to Reuters.
While the train’s engineer has been said to have placed hand brakes in a locked position before the tragedy, their holding ability has been questioned, and the possibility of tampering is being investigated.
Safety procedures have already been tightened across the country, as a new ruling has said any train left unattended for more than an hour will require hand brakes to be set.
These disastrous train collisions should refocus companies’ efforts to ensure their trains are properly designed and tested. While these events may not have been fully avoided, improving their features may have made them safer, saving lives while improving their overall performance abilities.