The Czech Republic is a nation located in Central Europe. - Train operator halts use of sleeper cars due to collision incident
Following a recent rail disaster in the Czech Republic resulting in four fatalities, the operator of the implicated passenger train has withdrawn 13 sleeping cars from operation. This action stems from the uncovered flaws in the construction of these Austrian-designed carriages.
The accident transpired in Pardubice, Czech Republic, early Thursday morning. It involved a freight train and a passenger train carrying passengers from Prague to Kosice, Slovakia. Owing to unknown reasons, the two trains collided head-on. In the unfortunate incident, four individuals lost their lives, while 23 others sustained injuries. Thefire department estimated that there were roughly 300 people on board. The Czech Republic's railway infrastructure is known to be significantly outdated.
Regiojet, the private railway company, issued a statement explaining that the broken frame situated between the first and second compartment of one sleeping car caused the fatalities. During investigations, it came to light that a car model of the same producer had similarly suffered damage in a less severe accident that took place in Salzburg back in 2018. Consequently, the decision was reached to remove from the tracks all sleeping cars with this specific design.
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- Despite the train operator's decision to halt the use of sleeping cars following the tragic train crash in Pardubice, many passengers still rely on rail travel, especially for long-distance journeys.
- In light of the recent string of accidents on Czech railways, including the train crash in Pardubice, there have been calls for updated infrastructure and safety measures to prevent future incidents.
- A railway traffic analysis revealed that Pardubice, a city in the Czech Republic, has seen a significant increase in train-related accidents in the past few years, with the most recent being the collision involving a freight train and a passenger train from Prague to Kosice.
- The Czech Republic's railroad system has faced criticism for its outdated infrastructure and lack of safety features in the wake of multiple train accidents, such as the fatal crash in Pardubice and the less severe accident in Salzburg in 2018, which involved a sleeping car with a similar design.