Re: South African derailment

According to everything I've read thus far, a number of missing ties, anywhere from 30-50, allowed the gauge to spread. Several photos show screw spikes neatly removed and lying next to the rail. It appears that the train was in a curve sharp enough to require a flange-bearing guard rail on the inside rail. Those rails may have broken when the engine shoved the high rail on the curve out and the wheel flanges on the low side followed the rest of the engine toward the outside of the curve. I've seen similar breaks when equipment derailed in or around a switch. Good thing there was a small embankment there to catch the engine. It doesn't look like they were going very fast, based on the damage to the track and equipment.