Transrapid collision in Germany kills 23
{{date|September 22, 2006}} 
[[Image:Karte lathen.png|thumb|200px|Location of Lathen, Germany]]
Twenty-three people died when a [[w:Transrapid|Transrapid]] [[w:maglev train|maglev train]] travelling on the system's test track in [[w:Lathen|Lathen]] in [[Germany]], near the [[Netherlands]] border, collided with a maintenance vehicle on the track. Ten others were severely injured according to Karl-Heinz Brüggemann, a spokesman for the rescue effort.

The driverless train was estimated as operating at 170&nbsp;km/h (105&nbsp;mph) when the accident occurred around 09:30 local time (07:30 [[w:UTC|UTC]]). The unmanned train, with 31 passengers aboard crashed into a maintenance wagon containing 2 workers.

[[w:Chancellor of Germany|German Chancellor]] [[Angela Merkel]] visited the site to pay her respect to the victims and the rescuers.
[[Image:Transrapid.jpg|thumb|left|188px|File photo of a Transrapid train on its test track]]
The train had traveled about 1&nbsp;km (0.6&nbsp;miles) from its departure station when it struck the maintenance vehicle.  Debris from the accident was spread over a 300&nbsp;m (984&nbsp;ft) section of track. Police spokesman Hans Kley confirmed that the Transrapid train did not leave the track, which is elevated approximately 5&nbsp;metres (16&nbsp;ft) above the ground. Other reports indicate that the train's roof was torn off in the collision. Rescue workers used ladder trucks from local fire departments to evacuate the stopped train. On hearing of the accident, Germany's Transport Minister [[w:Wolfgang Tiefensee|Wolfgang Tiefensee]] suspended his trip in [[w:People's Republic of China|China]] and made preparations to return to Germany to view the accident scene.

The 31.8&nbsp;km (20&nbsp;mile) test system in Germany was built by a consortium of [[w:Siemens AG|Siemens AG]] and [[w:ThyssenKrupp|ThyssenKrupp]].  It has been in operation since 1984 and is regularly used by tour groups for demonstration runs four days per week. Transrapid trains are capable of speeds up to 450&nbsp;km/h (280&nbsp;mph).  This accident is the first on the system that included fatalities; analysts so far attribute the cause of the accident to a lack of communications between the train operators and the maintenance employees. The only commercial installation of Transrapid technology in service is currently the [[w:Shanghai Maglev Train|Shanghai Maglev Train]] linking [[w:Shanghai Metro Line 2|Shanghai Metro Line 2]]'s [[w:Longyang Road|Longyang Road]] station to [[w:Pudong International Airport|Pudong International Airport]].

== Sources ==
{{wikipediapar|2006 Lathen maglev train accident}}
*{{source|url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/BAT001446.htm
|title=German train crash death toll rises to 21
|author=
|pub=Reuters
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5370564.stm
|title=Magnetic train crashes in Germany
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.playfuls.com/news_10_566_Many_Killed_In_German_Maglev_Train_Accident.html
|title='Many' Killed In German Maglev Train Accident
|author=
|pub=Playfuls.com
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/22/germany.crash/
|title=Deaths as magnetic train crashes
|author=
|pub=CNN
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=33280
|title=Transrapid train crashes in Germany, 'many' killed
|author=
|pub=Expatica
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4206812.html
|title=In Germany, 1st fatal magnet-train crash
|author= Imke Zimmerman, Associated Press
|pub=Houston Chronicle
|date=September 22, 2006}}
*{{source|url=http://www.forbes.com/business/healthcare/feeds/ap/2006/09/22/ap3038575.html
|title=23 Dead, 10 Hurt in Germany Train Crash
|author=Imke Zimmerman, Associated Press
|pub=Forbes
|date=September 22, 2006}}

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[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:Rail transport]]
[[Category:Angela Merkel]]

[[de:23 Tote bei Transrapidunglück]]
[[fr:Accident d'un Transrapid en Allemagne]]
[[ja:ドイツのリニアモーターカー実験線で衝突死亡事故]]
[[pl:Katastrofa kolejowa w Niemczech: 25 zabitych]]
[[ru:Катастрофа Трансрапида]]
[[sr:Најтежа несрећа трансрапида у историји]]
Location of Lathen, Germany
Twenty-three people died when a Transrapid maglev train travelling on the system's test track in Lathen in Germany, near the Netherlands border, collided with a maintenance vehicle on the track. Ten others were severely injured according to Karl-Heinz Brüggemann, a spokesman for the rescue effort.

The driverless train was estimated as operating at 170 km/h (105 mph) when the accident occurred around 09:30 local time (07:30 UTC). The unmanned train, with 31 passengers aboard crashed into a maintenance wagon containing 2 workers.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the site to pay her respect to the victims and the rescuers.
File photo of a Transrapid train on its test track
The train had traveled about 1 km (0.6 miles) from its departure station when it struck the maintenance vehicle.  Debris from the accident was spread over a 300 m (984 ft) section of track. Police spokesman Hans Kley confirmed that the Transrapid train did not leave the track, which is elevated approximately 5 metres (16 ft) above the ground. Other reports indicate that the train's roof was torn off in the collision. Rescue workers used ladder trucks from local fire departments to evacuate the stopped train. On hearing of the accident, Germany's Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee suspended his trip in China and made preparations to return to Germany to view the accident scene.

The 31.8 km (20 mile) test system in Germany was built by a consortium of Siemens AG and ThyssenKrupp.  It has been in operation since 1984 and is regularly used by tour groups for demonstration runs four days per week. Transrapid trains are capable of speeds up to 450 km/h (280 mph).  This accident is the first on the system that included fatalities; analysts so far attribute the cause of the accident to a lack of communications between the train operators and the maintenance employees. The only commercial installation of Transrapid technology in service is currently the Shanghai Maglev Train linking Shanghai Metro Line 2's Longyang Road station to Pudong International Airport.

de:23 Tote bei Transrapidunglück
fr:Accident d'un Transrapid en Allemagne
ja:ドイツのリニアモーターカー実験線で衝突死亡事故
pl:Katastrofa kolejowa w Niemczech: 25 zabitych
Europe Germany Disasters and accidents Transport Rail transport Angela Merkel