INVERYTHAN RAIL ACCIDENTInverythan Rail Accident - 1882Structural and mechanical engineers are mandated to design, build or create a structurebased on a specification or guideline to meet the intended user requirements. The developedproduct is aimed to function without failure for its intended lifetime. Failure occurs in manystructures and products though it is undesired. This paper seeks to review the medium scaled andwidespread kind of engineering failure. This implies that the failure may be localized but it hadits effects distributed over a large geographical area. The medium scaled failure refers to failurethat causes loss of life or multiple serious injuries or loss of property but not on a very largescale. For instance, in the Inverythan rail accident one wagon encountered the dislocation fromthe rest of the train causing an accident. The accident dates back to 27th November 1882. Theaccident occurred while the train was passing over a bridge across the turnpike road. Thedestination of the train was Turriff and it had departed Inverary some time before[CITATION Acc01\l 1033 ]. The wagon still remained attached to the engine but its wheels were already off the railsto the right-hand side. The wagon drawbars had already broken off and the leading wagon hadrun down the bank. The train appears to have run for about 150 yards with the front pair ofwheels of this wagon, the middle wheels of this composite having been also knocked away. Theaccident led to the death of four passengers, who died on the spot, other passengers wereseriously injured. Eventually, the super-structure of the bridge was massivelydestroyed[ CITATION Hut82 \l 1033 ]. Causality of FailureThe failure of the girder was as a result of the gradual extension of a flaw commencing atthe honeycomb and working outwards until the strength at this point was so reduced that thegirder was unable to bear the weight of the engine, henceforth it gave away. It is paramount forengineers to review failure and mistakes. Failures have elements in common. In the review ofthis accident, the mechanical engineers who constructed the train were not held responsible forthe accident. The blame was passed on to the people who maintain the rails and bridge. Thebridge rail, however, was of sufficient theoretical strength when cast for over 25 years showing

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