DECODED: The driver tried to boost the train’s power by speeding up and slowing down repeatedly after it experienced intermittent power output, a report said

Taipei Times
Date: Apr 22, 2020
By: Shelley Shan / Staff reporter

The Taiwan Transportation Safety Board yesterday released a report on the deadly Puyuma Express derailment on Oct. 21, 2018, showing that the train was traveling at 140kph when it entered a curve ahead of Yilan County’s Sinma (新馬) Railway Station, adding that the driver tried to decelerate the train only one second before it derailed.

Eighteen people were killed in the accident and 291 were injured.

The Executive Yuan’s investigation report published on Dec. 21, 2018, failed to appease the relatives of the deceased, who accused the Taiwan Railways Administration of putting the blame solely on the driver.

The agency reached settlements with the families of only two of the deceased, as well as the injured passengers.

The driver of Puyuma Express No. 6432 did not plead guilty. He said he was operating the train within the speed limit and that he had informed the agency that he had turned off the automatic train protection (ATP) system, which was designed to automatically slow down the train when it exceeded the speed limit.    [FULL  STORY]