The New York Times; aerial drone image via Reuters
Investigators into the deadly multi-train crash in India have focused on the possibility that it was caused by a failure of the electronic signal system. That’s how officials say the disaster unfolded.
1 Two passenger trains are approaching
At around 7pm local time, the Coromandel Express passenger train approached from the north at a speed of around 80 miles per hour. A second passenger train, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast Express, approached from the south at about the same time.
2 Coromandel Express derails on a busy track
The Coromandel Express veered onto an adjacent track occupied by an idle freight train that was loaded with iron ore. An Indian Railways official said a problem with the signal system was likely the overall cause of the accident, although investigations were still ongoing.
3 The first passenger train collides with the freight train
Coromandel Express collides with freight train. The cars in front of the Coromandel jump off their tracks and form a wrecked pile. More than 20 Coromandel cars have derailed.
4 The second passenger train is hit
The derailed carriages of the Coromandel Express collide with the second passenger train in its path, causing two carriages at the end of the second passenger train to derail.
The site of the accident stretched over a thousand meters.
Source: Approximate locations of train cars from photographs and videos of the scene.
The New York Times; Airbus satellite image
