Meerbusch train crash

At about 19:30 CET (18:30 UTC), a passenger train operated by National Express Germany ran into the rear of a freight train operated by DB Cargo near Meerbusch-Osterath station, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The driver of the passenger train was able to give a warning before the collision occurred.[1] Fifty people were injured, nine seriously and three with moderate injuries.[2][3] The train was carrying 155 passengers.[4] The passenger train was travelling from Krefeld to Neuss. The freight train was travelling from Dillingen, Saarland to Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands.[1] The rear three wagons of the freight train were derailed.[2] The leading carriage of the Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple unit which formed the passenger train was severely damaged.[1] The rescue of passengers was hampered by fallen power cables,[5] which were made safe by Deutsche Bahn. More than 200 firefighters assisted in the rescue efforts. The line between Düsseldorf and Krefeld was closed.[3]

Cleanup of the accident aftermath

The Eisenbahn-Unfalluntersuchungsstelle des Bundes (EUB) opened an investigation into the accident.[6] It was reported that the passenger train may have incorrectly been given permission to pass a signal indicating “stop”.[2]