ANKARA - Turkish State Railways (TCDD) Directorate General said on Friday that it has been definitely determined from the graphics of the regional control system that the signal was red for the Baskent Express, which crashed into the Adapazarý express.
TCDD issued a written statement and said ''according to the preliminary studies, Baskent Express, traveling from Ankara to Istanbul, disregarded the yellow signal first and later failed to stop at the red light''.
The written statement said the accident occurred when Baskent Express entered the road which was assigned to the passage of Adapazari Express.
The statement also indicated that the railway engines were rented from Bosnia-Herzegovina and they don't have appropriate equipment compatible with ATS-Auto Train Stop system.
''TCDD has 738 vehicles having different models and peculiarities. 524 of them are main line railway engines. Only 208 of the 524 main line railway engines have ATS,'' the statement noted. The statement said TCDD network has two separate signalization systems, adding that ATS equipment of those two systems are different from each other. Studies are underway to make all the locomotive engines appropriate to the ATS system.
The statement said Ankara-Istanbul railway line was up to the international standards, noting that foreign experts examined the railway line after the accident in Pamukova.
Eight people died and 88 others were injured in train accident in Tavsancil hamlet. The accident occurred at 16.30 local time Wednesday, after a train traveling from Ankara to Istanbul failed to stop at the red light and collided head-on with the Adapazari Express.
Another train derailed near Pamukova town of northwestern province of Sakarya on July 22, killing 38 people and injuring 80 others.
(AY-ULG) 13.08.2004