| 1926 Voorschoten train crash | |
| Image Alt: | Photograph of the derailed train |
| Pushpin Map: | Netherlands South Holland |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Voorschoten, Netherlands |
| Coordinates: | 52.1458°N 4.4578°W |
| Date: | 9 September 1926 |
| Location: | Voorschoten |
| Country: | Netherlands |
| Line: | Amsterdam–Haarlem–Rotterdam railway |
| Operator: | Nederlandse Spoorwegen |
| Service: | - |
| Type: | Derailment |
| Cause: | Track defect |
| Trains: | 1 |
| Passengers: | ~40 |
| Crew: | 4 |
| Deaths: | 4 |
| Injuries: | 10 (severe) |
On 9 September 1926, a passenger train was derailed near Voorschoten, Netherlands due to defective track. Four people were killed and 30 were injured.
On the afternoon of 9 September 1926, a passenger train from to was derailed near, Netherlands. The steam locomotive, baggage car and both carriages were derailed. The driver of the train survived the wreck; he used an axe to break into one of the carriages to assist those inside to escape. The guard of the train also survived.[1]
The victims were two railway employees, and two of the passengers.[2] Ten people were severely injured and many more suffered minor injuries.[1]
An international passenger train from Amsterdam to Paris, France, was held at, as the track was obstructed by debris. A farmer saw an opportunity to make some money from the crash, charging people 25¢ each to view the crash site at a distance of 20m (70feet). He was criticized in the local newspapers for this. Explosives dispersed the derailed carriages following the accident. The locomotive was repaired, and had re-entered service by January 1927.[1]
An investigation by the Dutch government revealed that a defective track was the cause of the derailment. An engineer and a supervisor were dismissed. An investigation by Nederlandse Spoorwegen could not reach a definitive conclusion as to the cause. They did not lay the blame on any individual.[1]
