Zibo Train Collision - Timeline

Timeline

• March 2008 – Jinan Railway Bureau issued traffic control command number 4240, limiting the speed of Jiaoji railway K290+784 – K293+780 temporarily to 80 km/h.
• April 23 – Jinan railway bureau issued traffic control file number 154, changing the railroad territory from April 28, changing the speed limit K290+784 – K293+780 from temporary to long-term limit. This file was only published on Jinan railway bureau's website and delivered by a relatively slow post mail, and Beijing Railway Bureau was in the cc. list.
• April 26 – Jinan railway bureau issued traffic control command number 4158, canceling temporary traffic control commands that were previously issued including command 4240. This command arrived earlier than file 154, so that the speed limit for train T195 in that section of railway was restored to 140 km/h.
• The driver of train 2245 reported to the duty man in Zhoucun railway station about the conflict between the command and the file.
• April 28 ~02:30 – Lu Min, the director in duty of Jinan west train schedule duty room, reported to the scheduler in duty, the train 2557's driver noticed the speed limit sign was 80 km/h while the LKJ transport monitor on train displayed as 120 km/h when he was passing down Zhoucun–Wangcun in K293+780M–K290+784M.
• April 28 ~02:35 – Pu Xiaojun, the train scheduler in duty, immediately telephoned Wu Haichun, the director in duty of Jinan Jinan locomotive terminal about the speed limit. Wu Haichun said, the train 2245's driver had also reported to him about the problem. The scheduler asked about the speed limit in transport monitor, but Wu said he did not know because the one who is able to change the chip is not directed by the locomotive terminal, but by the electrical terminal.
• April 28 ~02:40 – The scheduler told to the driver of the next train, train 5025, when passing the railway section, if the speed limit shown by the signal is different from the speed limit in train's LKJ (Cab signalling) monitor, passing the section at speed of 80 km/h.
• April 28 ~03:00 – Pu Xiaojun, the scheduler in duty, asked Zhoucun East and Wangcun stations' schedulers to tell train drivers for "up and down" directions, passing the railway section still under the requirement of commands 4240 and 4241 at 80 km/h.
• April 28 ~03:50 – Sui Fuhai, another scheduler in duty, asked train T25's driver what the speed limit was between Wangcun and Zhoucun East. The driver had not passed that section, so he told the scheduler he did not know about it. Then Sui asked the driver to limit the speed to 80 km/h there. When the train passed, the driver told the scheduler the onboard system was shown as limited to 145 km/h there.
• April 28 ~03:55 – Sui Fuhai asked, "Hello, T195's driver. Do you have the speed limit of Zhoucun east to Wangcun downward line?", the driver replied, "Where?" Sui said, "Between Wangcun and Zhoucun east," The driver said, "I have the limit between Wangcun and Zhoucun east," Sui said, "You have it, haven't you?" The driver confirmed, "Yes, (as in command) 4241," Sui said, "4241 or 4240?" T195's driver said, "4240." Since train T195 was late, Sui asked the driver to drive faster, "Do rush on the way." The driver confirmed.
• April 28 04:02 – Jinan railway bureau issued command 4444 to reaffirm 80 km/h speed limit of railway K290+784 – K293+780, but the traffic control command was not sent to train T195.
• April 28 05:30 after the accident – For understanding the cause of the accident, scheduler Pu Xiaojun asked Wangcun station's scheduler Zhang Fasheng, where he sent the control command to the driver, and he said it had been sent.