rescue teams at the scene of a train accident, November 15, 2015 at Eckwersheim, near Strasbourg, in Alsace. – FREDERICK FLORIN AFP

The tragedy killed 11 people. On 14 November 2015 an East TGV test train derailed in Eckwersheim (Bas-Rhin). Nine months after the accident, Le Parisien revealed on Monday that three days before the tragedy, a trial was held on the same portion. And during this test, the driver had already been struggling to meet the speeds required in the roadmap

& gt;. & Gt; Read also: A braking “late” behind the train derailment

A video shot during the test

This is a video of Go Pro twenty minutes during this test tour which helped to realize that the test team was very concerned. While the TGV traveling at 330 km / h at kilometer point (KP) 398, it should reach 230 km / h less than two kilometers later. “It is 100 km / h to lose 1.7 km,” says one of them. “This is the most annoying. “Warns one of railwaymen present in the train. Another railroad tries to reassure him. “I think it’s doable, and then, if it’s really true, you will make a sudden flick of (a brake). And it’s good, it goes, eh! “



The TGV comes too soon

Except that the transition is going worse than expected and the TGV crosses the PK 400 to 297.9 km / h is 67.9 km / h faster than expected. Rebelote KP 403 where the train is due to arrive at 160 km / h. But again, despite heavy braking, the TGV still drive too fast (173.2 km / h). If the test team recognizes the difficulty, she remains confident in the cabin.



Too late braking

But three days later, the accident will take place at KP 404 where the train derailed at a speed of 243 km / h instead of 176 km / h recommended. Asked by Le Parisien , a source folder confides: “One can legitimately ask whether the tests are framed with all the necessary rigor. With this video, we now see that even the elite of train drivers has the highest difficulty meeting overspeed required by these tests. And the day of the derailment, so they are aware of the difficulty at KP 400, they decide to halt a kilometer later. “

Meanwhile, the SNCF said daily she had no comment

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