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Due to the high velocity of the passenger train – 44 km/h (27 mph) – and the large mass of the freight train, running at 25 km/h (16 mph)) on impact, the collision was violent. The whole InterCity train moved back 4 metres (13 ft) and the first two cars of the freight train
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and the InterCity using the main line. However, on the day of the collision the freight train was running 30 minutes late. The train dispatcher was planning to make the pass at
Suonenjoki railway station, which would delay the departure of the InterCity by three minutes. A route was secured for the
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of both trains activated the emergency brakes and, when the collision seemed inevitable, jumped off the trains. The dispatcher noticed that the main track was occupied by the wrong train and immediately started calling both trains on radio. No answer was heard, however, as the drivers had already
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system, which was installed on all major lines during the following years, and was later expanded to cover all passenger lines and all goods-only lines with the exception of lines which see only a maximum of few trains a day.
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railway station in
Finland. Twenty-six people were injured, one of them seriously. The rear end of the locomotive of the freight train was thrusted high towards the air upon its first car.
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As the result of this collision and the expansion of automatic train control, signal repeaters were removed from all stations except the
Helsinki Central railway station.
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However, before the freight train could arrive at
Suonenjoki, the InterCity left the station on schedule at 5:57:01, missing the red "stop" aspect of the
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were pushed under its locomotive. This forced the rear end of the locomotive to rise high up in the air and touch the
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The two locomotives, Sr1 units 3042 (freight train) and 3031 (InterCity) were refurbished and returned to service.
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InterCity to
Suonenjoki railway station, where it was signaled to stop and wait for the freight train to pass.
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427:(in Finnish and English). Accident Investigation Board of Finland.
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Alppivuori, Kari; Aho, Pekka; Värttiö, Esko; Valonen, Kai (1999).
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The collision was caused by the InterCity driver ignoring the
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B1/1998R Trains colliding at
Suonenjoki, on August 12, 1998
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Misinterpretation of signals, possible signal malfunction
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Railway accidents involving a signal passed at danger
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226:aspect of the main signal. The driver heard the
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655:Accidents and incidents involving VR Group
640:Railway accidents and incidents in Finland
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550:Eschede train disaster, Germany
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298:Finnish railway signalling
635:Railway accidents in 1998
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144:Suonenjoki rail collision
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21:Suonenjoki rail collision
584:1999 ►
580:◄ 1997
279:automatic train control
275:Jyväskylä rail accident
169:VR's InterCity No. 72,
73:Pieksämäki–Kuopio line
611:62.61556°N 27.12500°E
165:Chronology of events
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616:62.61556; 27.12500
253:. You can help by
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191:passing loop
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262:August 2012
629:Categories
599:62°36′56″N
414:Literature
404:OTKES 1999
392:OTKES 1999
380:OTKES 1999
368:OTKES 1999
356:OTKES 1999
344:OTKES 1999
332:OTKES 1999
317:OTKES 1999
304:References
187:Suonenjoki
159:Suonenjoki
117:Passengers
104:Statistics
54:Suonenjoki
45:5:58:12 am
602:27°7′30″E
443:1239-5323
234:Aftermath
228:conductor
151:InterCity
91:Collision
292:See also
179:Helsinki
171:en route
82:VR Group
78:Operator
50:Location
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203:drivers
183:Kouvola
175:Iisalmi
133:Injured
64:Finland
60:Country
35:Details
564:Nov 26
555:Aug 12
546:Jun 3
537:Apr 4
528:Mar 6
519:Feb 14
441:
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218:Causes
199:signal
125:Deaths
109:Trains
173:from
96:Cause
503:1998
499:1998
439:ISSN
429:ISBN
224:stop
181:via
142:The
70:Line
40:Date
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177:to
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324:^
148:VR
136:26
120:51
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260:(
128:0
112:2
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