The Intricate Ways Trains Avoid Collisions

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Back in 1918, a head-on collision between two trains speeding at 80.5 kph (50 mph) resulted in the deaths of at least 101 passengers. This event was known as the “Great Train Wreck of 1918" and it was understood that it could never be repeated.

But how do you avoid train collisions? After all, it's not like trains can suddenly change direction to avoid an oncoming train. In 2019, 16 people were killed in Europe due to train collisions. We can all agree that even one death is too many especially since they can be avoided with better planning.

The 1889 U.K. Regulation of Railways Act was a piece of legislation that sought to introduce a series of safety measures, like interlocked block signaling, to avoid train collisions. The problem was it still relied on human operators prone to human errors. 

Some rail projects around the world are currently exploring semi-autonomous or even driverless models in order to remove the element of human error. However, it may take a while before autonomous trains become the norm worldwide.

Can anything be done in the meantime to avoid human errors? Some argue that yes and if you want to find out more about this novel solution watch our video now.