Freight train involved in accident at Voorschoten drove on the right track, says ProRail CEO

While the NS is working to restore the tracks by next Tuesday, several agencies are working to understand how the NS passenger train derailed in Voorschoten on April 4. 

With details still being uncovered about the train accident, ProRail CEO John Voppen took to Dutch talk show Op1 last night to clarify some points. According to Voppen, the freight train that hit the construction train had been on the right track, reports RTL Nieuws. 

READ MORE | Trains halted between Leiden and The Hague in the following days after serious rail incident

There were four train tracks on the route at the time, with two closed for construction work and two open for train traffic. Both the freight train and the NS night passenger train that followed it are thought to have been on the correct tracks open for traffic. 

Collision with a construction crane

As investigations into the incident have progressed, we now know a bit more about what happened last Tuesday.

Early in the morning on April 4, a freight train collided with a construction crane belonging to the construction company BAM. The freight train was severely damaged but not derailed. 

Then, at 3:30 AM on the same Tuesday, an NS passenger train collided with either the crane or debris from the crane and was derailed by the impact. 

While it remains unclear how exactly this happened, investigations are ongoing to uncover more details.

30 are receiving care

Of the 50 people on the passenger train, 30 were seriously injured, 19 are in currently in hospital, and three are in intensive care. 

The 65-year-old driver of the crane the freight train collided with was killed in the accident. 

RailAlert, a foundation that “provides a safe and healthy working environment for everyone working on Dutch railways”, says it’s waiting for the investigations’ conclusions.

Investigations are ongoing

Several organisations have come together to investigate the incident. The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) is leading the investigation. 

Additionally, the police, the Public Prosecution Service, the Labor Inspectorate, OVV (Dutch Safety Board), ProRail, the NS, DB Cargo and possibly the BAM are also investigating the accident. 

Train between Leiden and The Hague

Unfortunately, trains between Leiden and The Hague passing through Voorschoten are still on halt. The tracks are expected to be restored by Tuesday, April 11 next week.

In the meantime, NS buses are running between the two cities. 

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Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the freight train driver was killed in the incident. It was the crane driver who the freight train driver collided with who sadly lost their life.