Report on derailment at Heskestad, Sørlandsbanen, on 4 November 2022
Railway report 2024/01
On 4 November 2022, a freight train from CargoNet AS ran into a water-triggered landslide at Heskestad on the Sørlandsbanen Line, and derailed. The accident caused major damage to the train and track and resulted in closure of the track section for more than five days. The driver was unharmed. Bane NOR SF had decided to initiate yellow-level weather response procedures, but these had not been implemented. There were no automatic warning systems at the location, and the landslide was not detected before the train was given permission to enter the section. The landslide masses contained a large rock, which is believed to have been the direct cause of the derailment.
There had been a lot of rainfall prior to the accident, with intense localised showers. Large distances between weather stations along with heavy local showers give uncertain estimates of actual precipitation and make the overall rainfall situation difficult to monitor. Bane NOR SF had mapped the area with regard to landslides, without the area having been considered prone to landslides. The method Bane NOR SF uses for routine landslide mapping does not identify all hazard zones for minor and shallow surface slides. Nor has infrastructure been established for automatic notification of these landslides.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) has investigated how Bane NOR SF works on mapping and notification of landslide hazards on the Sørlandsbanen Line. In addition, the NSIA has looked at the organisation and training of personnel who play a key role in the exercise of Bane NOR’s weather response procedures.
The NSIA has identified a gap between weather response procedures and the prerequisites for applying them in practice. This creates a weakness in response efforts, especially during situations where the weather conditions are worsening.
The NSIA issues two safety recommendations on the basis of this investigation. One is aimed at Bane NOR SF’s organisation of weather response efforts. The other points to the need to strengthen the way in which Bane NOR SF maps and monitors areas at risk of landslides, in a time of increasing precipitation intensity.
The accident site. Photo: Multiconsult AS
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation Rail no 2024/01T
On 4 November 2022, a freight train ran into a landslide at Heskestad on the Sørlandsbanen Line and derailed. The landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall in the area, but Bane NOR SF had not introduced any emergency measures. Bane NOR SF's weather guard is responsible for assessing if weather conditions require emergency measures. The role of weather guard is combined with other key functions, and during worsening weather conditions, the weather guard therefore has a number of simultaneous tasks to attend to.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Railway Authority request Bane NOR SF to evaluate and, if necessary, improve the organisation for weather preparedness.
Safety recommendation Rail no 2024/02T
On 4 November 2022, a freight train ran into a landslide at Heskestad on the Sørlandsbanen Line and derailed. The landslide was triggered by locally heavy rainfall, but Bane NOR SF had not introduced any emergency measures. An increase in precipitation amounts is expected in the years to come, and railway infrastructure will therefore be at increased risk of being affected by landslides and flooding events.
The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that the Norwegian Railway Authority request Bane NOR SF to evaluate and, if necessary, improve the method for mapping and monitoring areas with a risk of water-triggered landslides, at a time of steadily increasing precipitation intensity.
Facts
| Location | Between Heskestad and Ualand |
| Occurrence date | 04.11.2022 |
| Type of Transportation | Freight train |
| Type of occurrence | Derailment, Collision |
| Rolling Stock | Freight wagon, Locomotive |