The Iryo train struck from behind in the Toledo rail disaster had been stationary for more than 14 minutes, according to black box data obtained by El Mundo.
Its driver was still trying to restore a failed signalling connection when a Renfe AVE service slammed into the back of the train at an estimated 160 to 200km/hr.
The October 28 collision near Urda killed 69 people and injured more than 200. Ten remain in hospital including two in intensive care in Toledo.
Both trains were travelling from Madrid to Sevilla and had stopped on the same track about 27km apart after their systems indicated that the sections ahead were occupied.
The AVE train was just beyond Mora, while the Iryo was near the entry signal at Urda.
At 8.36am, controllers instructed the AVE driver to switch off the LZB train protection system and resume normal running.
The Iryo’s recorder logged a complete loss of transmission at 8.38.41am. Its driver made three or four unsuccessful calls to the Atocha control centre before getting through, according to El Mundo.
At 8.41am, controllers gave the Iryo driver permission to proceed on a green signal and instructed her to restart the system. She tried twice without success.
By 8.48am she had reported that the system still would not restart, and at 8.51am maintenance staff began assisting her.
By then, the AVE was approaching Urda. Signals between the trains showed green, according to the reconstruction, and there is no record of the AVE driver receiving a direct warning from the control centre that the Iryo was still on the track.
The sequence puts the signalling fault and the instructions given to both drivers at the centre of the reconstruction.
The Iryo’s recorder logged the collision at 8.53.12am. The impact hit the eighth and final carriage, derailing the train and overturning carriage three. The Iryo came to a complete stop nine seconds after it was struck.
The driver told Iryo’s control centre that her train had been hit from behind and that she was unhurt but could not reach the head of the onboard crew.
She later reported that passengers were getting out on their own elsewhere on the train, while those in carriage three were trapped. The catering supervisor was among them and had suffered head injuries.
At 9.03am, the driver made a video call from the cab to show Iryo staff the damage. Adif confirmed the suspension of rail traffic at 9.12am.
The investigation into the disaster continues.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
