Swiss train derails and crashes into ravine

[Smike]

I've traveled on that very section of track, scary crap.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/switzerland/11031292/Swiss-train-derails-and-crashes-into-ravine.html

[Bob Bufkin]

And a commuter train in the Phillippines ran a bumper post into the street damaging cars and property injuring over 30 people.

[Dave Schneider]

From the photos it looks like the Swiss train got hit broadside by a debris flow. The engine (?) and cars on either side of the derailed car are upright and I doubt that they could have passed through that area without being derailed.

Best wishes, Dave

EDIT: Cool video of recent debris flow in Switzerland. Behold, the power of water and gravity!

[nkalanaga]

Dave:  You're right, the slide hit the train, contrary to initial reports.

For anyone interested, here's one of the better articles I found on the accident:
http://www.rappler.com/world/regions/europe/66145-switzerland-train-derailment

Note the there is an error in the report, as 10 meters is about 33 feet, not 65 feet...

For those not familiar with Swiss narrow gauge, these look like the "standard" RhB cars of the last several decades, so are probably about 60 feet long.  Their "Einheitswagen II" cars, from the mid to late 70s, were 18.5 meters over the buffers.