"Spain's transportation minister, Oscar Puente, admitted on Wednesday the undeniable possibility that the cause of the train crash that claimed 43 lives in Adamuz (Cordoba) might lie in a faulty section of track, based on the bite marks detected on the running gear of one of the two trains involved in the accident, as well as on other trains that had previously traveled along the same stretch."
"However, he insisted that, with the exception of human error, no hypothesis has been ruled out for now. Puente reiterated his view that this was an extremely complex accident, unprecedented in its kind, and denied any ties to an increase in railroad travel following the liberalization of the sector or to a lack of investment and maintenance. On Friday, the first official report from investigators was released suggesting that the right rail was fractured before the Iryo train passed over it."
"This initial official report from the Railway Accident Investigation Commission (CIAF) explains that when a rail is broken, the weight of the train causes the section before the break to drop, and the wheel ends up hitting the step that has formed in front. The front wheels of the undercarriages of cars 2, 3, and 4 of the Iryo show marks consistent with this."
Oscar Puente acknowledged that a faulty section of track could have caused the Adamuz crash after bite marks were found on the running gear of one train and on other trains that used the same stretch. The Railway Accident Investigation Commission's initial report indicates the right rail fractured before the Iryo passed, causing the pre-break section to drop and wheels to strike the resulting step; front wheels of cars 2, 3 and 4 show matching marks. Drivers' unions and passengers previously reported and recorded abnormal vibrations on the route. Experts said such vibrations were absolutely abnormal and warranted deeper track analysis. Puente denied links to liberalization or investment shortfalls and rejected a nationwide audit, saying the network had been reviewed under European regulations.
Read at english.elpais.com
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