The cause of the weekend derailment of the Dublin-Westport passenger train in Co Roscommon will not be known for some days, an Iarnrod Eireann spokesman said yesterday. "A thorough investigation is under way and we do not want to pre-empt the result," he added. Four of the 13 people brought to Roscommon county hospital for treatment following the accident on Saturday morning were still being detained yesterday. A hospital spokeswoman said they were "comfortable" and their injuries were "nothing major". There were 180 passengers on the train when the derailment took place near the village of Knockcroghery, on the rail line between Athlone and Roscommon. All sections of the train, except the locomotive, were derailed but remained upright.
Locals said it was fortunate an embankment stopped the carriages from tipping over fully and prevented what could have been serious injury and possible loss of life. It was also fortunate that the train was not as crowded as it it would have been on other days.
An emergency operation was initiated immediately involving the Garda, ambulance and fire brigade units from five counties. The uninjured passengers completed their journeys by bus. Services on the Dublin-Mayo line were disrupted for some hours.
Last month, a motorist died instantly when her car was struck by a train at an unattended crossing at Slieve, halfway between Roscommon town and Castlerea.
A company spokesman said at the time that the woman had dri ven onto the track at a crossing which did not have automatic barriers or flashing lights to indicate when a train was approaching. Instead, the crossing had gates which must be opened and closed by roadusers, with the "onus on the roaduser to check that it is safe to proceed".