Millipedes Believed to Be Cause of Train Crash
- 11 years ago
An investigation has been launched to determine how a moving train bumped into a stationary one at the Joondalup line in Australia. While no official cause of the crash has been determined, train authorities believe Portuguese millipedes may have played a role.
Train crashes don’t occur too often, but when they do, it can be hard to find the real cause behind accidents.
An investigation has been launched to determine how a moving train bumped into a stationary one at the Joondalup line in Australia.
Three passengers were sent to the hospital and several others required treatment at the scene While no official cause of the crash has been determined, train authorities believe Portuguese millipedes may have played a role.
Public Transport Authority spokesman David Hynes said millipedes have been know to pose rail problems in the past and hundreds were seen on the track the day of the accident.
Hynes stated “When the train squashes them they tend to make the tracks slimy. That’s a phenomenon we’re aware of and we will investigate whether it was a factor at Clarkson.”
The one positive aspect of the accident is that the crash occurred at low speed, which meant there were no fatalities. Both of the affected trains have since been taken out of service.
Train crashes don’t occur too often, but when they do, it can be hard to find the real cause behind accidents.
An investigation has been launched to determine how a moving train bumped into a stationary one at the Joondalup line in Australia.
Three passengers were sent to the hospital and several others required treatment at the scene While no official cause of the crash has been determined, train authorities believe Portuguese millipedes may have played a role.
Public Transport Authority spokesman David Hynes said millipedes have been know to pose rail problems in the past and hundreds were seen on the track the day of the accident.
Hynes stated “When the train squashes them they tend to make the tracks slimy. That’s a phenomenon we’re aware of and we will investigate whether it was a factor at Clarkson.”
The one positive aspect of the accident is that the crash occurred at low speed, which meant there were no fatalities. Both of the affected trains have since been taken out of service.