TRAIN COLLISION WITH A SYNCRO-FITTED VAN
Syncro System racking holds up, keeping goods and work tools in place even during a violent crash. The photos.
A collision between a commercial vehicle and a train is among the most violent impacts that can occur on the road: this is clearly shown in the images we're sharing today, which document what happened in Austria to a Syncro System customer.
The farrier was driving his Volkswagen Transporter when, crossing one of the many level crossings without barriers found in Austria, he failed to notice an approaching train. The impact happened on the left side of the vehicle, narrowly missing the driver, who walked away unharmed from a crash that instead devastated the side of the van.
As you can see from the photos above, the external condition of the commercial vehicle might suggest that the interior — and therefore the racking and fittings — was completely destroyed in the accident.
In reality, once again Syncro System shelving, drawer units and accessories proved their strength, holding most of the tools and equipment being carried in place, and so preventing potentially much more serious damage to both the driver and the Transporter itself.
Looking at the details: on the left side, the one hit hardest, there was a four-shelf racking unit mounted on a wheel arch cover fitted with a flap. The shelves shifted inward into the load compartment, bending but without giving way or coming away from the walls. This meant most of the contents stayed in place. There was no movement at all for the drill holder and the bit holder (on the left and right of the photo respectively), which performed their safety function brilliantly.
The racking on the right side came out of the accident practically without a scratch, as did the sliding tray positioned near the sliding side door, on which a drawer unit and a gas forge had been fixed. The drawers stayed firmly shut, and the gas bottle, potentially explosive in a situation like this, was undamaged.
Below, for comparison, are photos taken by the van's owner some time before the accident, showing the van's fit-out intact and fully functional.
To see more images of accidents involving vans and put the strength of Syncro System fittings to the test, see here.