Soure train crash

Maintenance vehicle ( - VCC) No. 105, belonging to Infraestruturas de Portugal, was returning from Entroncamento, where it had undergone repairs, to its depot at Mangualde with two crew members on board. As the express train approached Soure, the signals on the main line turned green, to give it a clear run. and the vehicle resumed its course at 15:25. As they rejoined the main line, The two crew members aboard the maintenance vehicle were killed, and 44 people on the express train were injured, three seriously: one of the drivers and two passengers in the leading car. The alert was raised within two minutes, Circulation on the southbound track resumed at 01:45 on the 2nd of August, 2020, with heavy speed restrictions. At 09:00 of the same day, the northbound track was reopened. ==Investigation and aftermath==

The Aviation Accidents Prevention and Investigation Department (GPIAAF) investigated the accident. Its final report was released on 29 September 2021. It came to light that after two events, in 2016 and 2018, where such vehicles passed signals at danger, GPIAAF recommended that IP reassess the possibility of equipping these vehicles with ATP and act to ensure train driving qualifications of their maintenance staff. IP agreed to install ATP, but this was met with difficulties in sourcing CONVEL-compatible equipment from Bombardier. While the immediate cause was human error — the driver passing the signal at danger — five other causal factors were identified, including the absence of ATP on the maintenance vehicle. Its incursion into the reserved block was, however, detected by the track circuit and signals were updated accordingly, but the passenger train had already passed the previous signal and balise, and proceeded at top speed expecting a clear track ahead. ==References==