Published on 25/12/2024 14:23
Updated on 25/12/2024 14:33
Reading time: 1min – video: 1min
TGV blocked: what safety devices when the train finds itself without a driver?
Tuesday December 24, 2024, a train driver committed suicide by jumping from a moving train. A drama which questions the monitoring of train drivers but also the safety measures in the driving cabins.
(France 2)
Tuesday December 24, 2024, a train driver committed suicide by jumping from a moving train. A drama which questions the monitoring of train drivers but also the safety measures in the driving cabins.
A TGV launched on the rails, without a driver on board… This is what happened yesterday evening, Tuesday December 24 around 8:00 p.m. Concretely, there is no locking system for the TGV cabin. It was therefore possible for the driver to leave his position to access a door opening onto the tracks.
Meanwhile, since there is no one driving, a security system is put in place. Braking can thus be initiated in the event of an emergency. However, it takes a while before a train comes to a complete stop.
The SNCF ensures that the situation was under control thanks to the automatic braking system. “The safety of train passengers was not threatened at any time, nor was the safety of traffic”explained the SNCF on Wednesday December 25. An investigation was opened by the Melun public prosecutor's office (Seine-et-Marne) to investigate the causes of death.
Watch the full report in the video above.
