Structural failure of a locomotive on a Dublin Cork service

[Mark Gleeson]

Been circulating for some days, but the Rail Accident Investigation unit has confirmed the events now

"Underframe cracking of a Class 201 locomotive (No. 224), 7th July 2020"

224 has basically split in the middle, it was we believe departing Dublin Heuston Cork bound on July 7th with passengers. The incident took place at slow speed and there was no risk to the public. Had this taken place at 160kph the outcome may have been different.

Irish Rail has been quietly seeking anyone with recent photographs of this locomotive to come forward

[Mark Gleeson]

Extra details

July 6th the locomotive was failed with a fuel leak at Limerick Junction, I've seen a photo of this and its hard to tell but it does look like there is a small bend in the frame at this point

The locomotive + Mk4 set was brought to Heuston, presumably to recover the Mk4 coaches and get the locomotive to Inchicore

In Dublin the locomotive was found to have suffered a structural failure of the main frame, it was coupled to a Mk4 set at the time, looks like the siding next to platform 8

[ACustomer]

There is a surprisingly well-informed piece in the Examiner about this: See https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/munster/arid-40016177.html

[Mark Gleeson]

RAIU report published last week https://www.raiu.ie/investigations/chassis-plate-fracture-on-general-motors-class-201-locomotiv/1625134352168400/

Irish Rail did not act on a service advisory from the manufacturer and the repairs done previously (of which there is no record) didn't meet standards either

First recorded cracked frame of a GM/EMD locomotive globally