The loose ends of the Urda disaster in judicial and technical investigations

Investigations into the recent train collision in Urda focus on the malfunctioning LZB safety system and contradictory orders from Adif's control center. The incident involved a failure lasting 23 minutes, leading to an AVE train colliding with a stationary Iryo train. Authorities are examining the adequacy of the LZB system, which has been in use for 35 years, compared to the newer ERTMS. The investigation includes analyzing black box data and communications between train operators and control centers. The Minister of Transport stated that the Iryo train was instructed to proceed despite its inability to restart the LZB system, raising questions about safety protocols and operational decisions during the incident. The ongoing upgrade of the Madrid-Sevilla line aims to replace the LZB with ERTMS, but delays have pushed the timeline back.