TGV’s urgent stop system prevents catastrophe in France after driver jumps from cab
The 400 passengers aboard may have lost their lives if it was not for the security measures in place
The train’s emergency stop system brought the train to a halt
Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock
The built-in TGV emergency stop system probably saved the lives of train passengers on Christmas Eve on the Paris-Lyon line.
Tragically, the driver threw himself out of the moving train at around 20:00 on December 24. His action has since been confirmed as a suicide with his body found soon after.
The “Veille automatique avec contrôle du maintien d’appui" (Vacma) security system, meaning ‘Automatic standby with hold control’, brought the train to a stop.
The Vacma system is used to check that a driver is in control of the train.
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Every 30 seconds the driver must operate either a hand lever or a foot pedal. If this does not happen an alarm rings within five seconds following the 30 second time frame. If no driver action is undertaken within three seconds of the alarm, emergency brakes bring the train to a halt.
The train's engines automatically cut power and the automatic emergency braking system is activated at the same time,” stated the SNCF in a press release. “The security system worked exactly as planned,” it added.
Once the train is stopped another alarm is activated, this time to alert the operators of the line to a stationary train so they can ensure that another train will not crash into it.
The operators could therefore see that a Vacma system had been activated and any further collision was avoided.
The tragedy led to delays of up to six hours for passengers, with taxis from Paris brought in to take them to their destinations.
The SNCF said that psychological help will be provided for colleagues and relatives of the driver.
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