Israel Railways (Hebrew: רַכֶּבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Rakevet Yisra'el) is the state-owned principal railway company responsible for all inter-city and suburban passenger and freight heavy rail transport in Israel. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from which lines radiate out in many directions. Unlike road vehicles (including trams), Israeli railway trains run on the left hand tracks.
Israel Railways lines as of the end of 2011 (winter 2012 timetable)
Israel Railways' passenger routes are divided into nine operational lines:
[edit] Rolling stock
Bombardier double-deck coach
GEC Alsthom push-pull trainsets
Siemens Viaggio Light coach
Israel Railways employs the following passenger trains and locomotives (partial list):
[edit] Retired rolling stock
- Boris Kidrič/Metalka "Yugo" introduced 1964-72[7][8]
- Esslingen DMUs (introduced 1956, later converted to non-powered coaches)
[edit] Notable accidents
- On December 26, 1963 two passenger trains on the then single-track main line linking Tel Aviv and Haifa collided head-on at Bet Yehoshua just south of Netanya.[9] The northbound train had passed a red signal and its locomotive rode over and crushed the locomotive of the southbound train.[10] None of the coaches was derailed but a coupler broke in the northbound train detaching the rear three coaches.[11] The continuous train brake should have then automatically stopped the detached coaches but it had not been connected properly so they started to roll back southwards.[11] 55 people were injured but only three seriously enough to be detained in hospital.[11] The two head-end crews survived but their locomotives, EMD G12s 105 and 118, were destroyed.[11]
- In 1972 a train crashed into a military truck,[where?] killing 18 soldiers.[citation needed]
- HaBonim disaster: On June 11, 1985 a train collided with a bus carrying school children, killing 19 children and 3 adults, near moshav HaBonim.[citation needed]
- On June 21, 2005 a train crashed into a freight truck near kibbutz Revadim, killing 8 and injuring 198.[12]
- On June 12, 2006 a train crashed into a truck near Beit Yehoshua, killing 5 and injuring from 77 to over 80.[13][14]
- On December 27, 2009 a train crashed into a car near Kiryat Gat. The driver proceeded without regard to the train checkpoint on the road. The train struck his car and he was killed.[15]
- On August 5, 2010 a train crashed into a minibus near Kiryat Gat, killing 7 and injuring 6. The minibus was hit at 19:05 GMT+3 on Route 353, apparently as it tried to pass over a level crossing.[16][17]
- On December 28, 2010 a fire started in a train near kibbutz Yakum, probably because of a short circuit, injuring 116.[18]
- On April 7, 2011 two trains collided frontally near Netanya, injuring 59.[19]
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
[edit] References and notes
- ^ Cotterell, 1984, page 136
- ^ a b "Gallery". Fun. Israel Railways. http://www.rail.co.il/EN/Fun/Museum/Pages/gallery.aspx. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
- ^ a b Cotterell, 1984, page 137
- ^ "ISR orders more double-deckers". Railway Gazette. http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/isr-orders-more-double-deckers.html. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
- ^ "Viaggio". Siemens. http://www.mobility.siemens.com/mobility/en/pub/urban_mobility/rail_solutions/commuter_and_intercity/viaggio.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
- ^ "Siemens Israel / Mobility in Israel". Siemens. http://www.siemens.co.il/.
- ^ "Israel Railways Passenger Trains - Details on Short Iron Carriage Types" (in Hebrew). http://www.railnewsil.com/rolling/coachlist_h_3.html. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
- ^ "General Information - Types of Rolling Stock in Use" (in Hebrew). Israel Railways. Archived from the original on 2007-10-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20071028115017/http://www.israrail.org.il/general/equip7.html. Retrieved 2008-02-15.
- ^ Cotterell, 1984, page 101
- ^ Cotterell, 1984, pages 101–102
- ^ a b c d Cotterell, 1984, page 102
- ^ Tova Dadon (2005-06-25). "Israeli train crash". Ynetnews. http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/articles/1504_israeli_train_crash.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ Ra'anan Ben-Tzur, Oren Rice (2006-06-12). "Train accident in the Sharon region - 5 dead, dozens wounded" (in Hebrew). Ynet. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3261798,00.html. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ Roni Singer-Heruti (2007-03-22). "Police: Try Israel Railways head for negligence over fatal crash". Haaretz. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/840847.html. Retrieved 2007-10-03.
- ^ Sagi Bashan (2009-12-27). "One killed in crash between train and car; Trains traffic disruptions in southern Israel" (in Hebrew). Reshet. http://reshet.ynet.co.il/חדשות/News/Domestic/internal/Article,34220.aspx.
- ^ "Seven die in southern Israel as train hits minibus". BBC. 2010-08-04. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10860526.
- ^ Tova Dadon (2010-08-05). "7 killed in crash between train and minibus in southern Israel" (in Hebrew). Ynet. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3931021,00.html.
- ^ Raanan Ben Zur and Aviel Magensi (2010-12-28). "Fire started in a train from Haifa to Tel Aviv, 116 injured" (in Hebrew). Ynet. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4005504,00.html.
- ^ Raanan Ben Zur and Aviel Magensi (2011-04-07). "59 wounded in a frontal collision between two trains near Netanya" (in Hebrew). Ynet. http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4053430,00.html.
[edit] External links
