BREAKING: French Interior Ministry says collision of train and school bus leaves 4 children dead; 19

Last edited Fri Dec 15, 2017, 01:37 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: Associated Press

BREAKING: French Interior Ministry says collision of train and school bus leaves 4 children dead; 19 injured, 7 seriously.

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Although the incident happened in France, I think enough people in the U.S. will take an interest in this that the story can be considered "of national interest."

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French crash: Children killed as school bus and train collide

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-42358075

7 minutes ago

A train and a school bus have collided near Perpignan in southern France, killing at least four children, the interior ministry says. ... Another 19 people were reported to be injured, seven of them seriously, in the incident between Millas and Saint-Fliu-d'Amont.

The students on the bus are reported to be between the ages of 11 and 15. ... Pictures from the scene showed the school bus sheared in two by the force of the crash. ... Emergency services were at the scene and a crisis co-ordination unit was set up.

The crash happened on a section of line between Perpignan and Villefranche-de-Conflent, the local news website l'Indpendant reports.

http://www.lindependant.fr/2017/12/14/millas-un-train-percute-un-bus-scolaire,3079683.php

A witness who was on the train, named as Barbara, said "it was a very violent crash - it seemed as if the train would derail".



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I've ridden that line. I connected to it from my favorite rail line in the world, an outside third rail electrified narrow gauge line from Latour-de-Carol to Villefranche-de-Conflent. The narrow gauge line goes over the highest point on the SNCF.

[div class"excerpt"]Latour-de-Carol
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latour-de-Carol
....

Transport

The village's main claim to fame is as the site of the international railway station, Gare de Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg (Catalan: La Tor de Querol-Enveig). This station is the terminus of three lines, each with different gauges:

the Spanish state operator RENFE's 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21?32 in) gauge line running north from Barcelona via Ripoll
the French state operator SNCF's 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1?2 in) gauge line running south from Toulouse via Foix
SNCF's 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3?8 in) gauge line (known as the Yellow Train) running west from Villefranche-de-Conflent

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_de_Cerdagne

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villefranche-de-Conflent

As the French and Spanish tracks are different gauges, no trains run the whole way from Toulouse to Barcelona. Passengers have to change trains, which are however no longer scheduled to offer direct connections. Occasional freight-trains cross the border and are worked to Puigcerda, where freight is transferred. The double-track line to Puigcerda consists of two separate tracks with different gauges and electrified at different currents. September 2011 - the French (standard) gauge line across the border is out of use. Spanish passenger trains run across into France to meet up with the French line. No freight services currently operate. Judging from the Google maps satellite photos, the French line into Puigcerda has been severed and the alignment of the Spanish line changed. The sidings served by the French lines are being left to nature, although the Spanish lines seem very well maintained.