Helexa: ETCS Worked During Train Collision near Pezinok and Mitigated Damage

Bratislava, 10 November (TASR) - The ETCS safety system was functional during the collision between two trains on Sunday (November 9) and, by slowing down one of them, it helped to mitigate the consequences of the accident, Peter Helexa, general director of rail passenger carrier ZSSK, said on Monday after an extraordinary session of the Slovak government, adding that the other train was not equipped with an onboard ETCS unit. "Express train No. 620 from Kosice was being pulled by a Series 350 engine equipped with a functional ETCS system. The train had eleven carriages, and it collided with regional express train No. 1814 driven by a diesel engine from the 861 Series. Although these engines are relatively new, they aren't fitted with the ETCS system, which is why there wasn't an onboard unit, and so it couldn't be functional," stated Helexa. According to him, both train drivers are experienced employees, and all legal requirements regarding rest and overtime had been complied with. State-run rail infrastructure operator ZSR general director Ivan Bednarik has specified that trains on the route from Pezinok to Bratislava will be delayed by about half an hour. The repair work should take three to four days, costing between €600,000 and €1 million. "The ETCS system is capable of stopping a train on this railway line. It is the most advanced technology we have installed on it to date," added Bednarik. jrg/df