Train comes into contact with drill that pierced tunnel, no injuries

Japan Today -- Jul 12

A train in southwestern Japan sustained damage when it came into contact with a drill used in a geological boring survey that pierced through the ceiling of a railway tunnel Thursday morning, a railway construction group said.

No injuries were reported among the 158 passengers and crew members aboard the limited express Kamome train, which made an emergency stop shortly after leaving JR Nagasaki Station. But the six-car train was damaged in some areas, including on the left side of the first car.

"One wrong move and this could have turned into a major accident," the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency said in a press release, while apologizing for disrupting train services in the area.

According to Kyushu Railway Co., the train that was bound for Hakata Station in Fukuoka Prefecture came into contact with the digging machine about 2 kilometers into the approximately 6-km-long tunnel located between Urakami and Utsutsugawa stations in Nagasaki.

Jul 12 (ANNnewsCH) - 長崎市でボーリング作業の掘削機がJRのトンネルの天井を突き抜けて、特急列車と接触しました。 11日午前10時25分ごろ、長崎発博多行きの特急かもめが長崎市のトンネルを走行中、異音を感知して緊急停止しました。原因は、鉄道・運輸機構が発注した九州新幹線長崎ルートの工事に伴う渇水対策ため行っていた試掘でした。ボーリング機材の先端がトンネルの天井を突き抜け、車体に接触しました。特急列車の乗客154人にけがはありませんでした。