Editing High-speed rail (section)

===1998 Eschede accident===
{{Main|Eschede train disaster}}
In 1998, after over thirty years of high-speed rail operations worldwide without fatal accidents, the Eschede accident occurred in Germany: a poorly designed ICE 1 wheel fractured at a speed of {{convert|200|km/h|0|abbr=on}} near [[Eschede]], resulting in the derailment and destruction of almost the entire set of 16 cars, and the deaths of 101 people.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/features/eschede.htm|title = Special Feature Eschede, Germany ICE High Speed Train Disaster|access-date = 30 December 2014|website = Danger Ahead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://sites.google.com/site/derailmentateschede/causes-of-the-accident|title = Derailment at Eschede|access-date = 30 December 2014|website = Derailment at Eschede}}</ref> The derailment began at a switch; the accident was made worse when the derailed cars travelling at high speed struck and collapsed a road bridge located just past the switch.