Current Date: 01 Jun, 2026
{{entry.title}}

This whale tail sculpture saved a train that went off the rails

A train in the Netherlands failed to stop in time and broke through the emergency barrier. It's being held up by the statue of a whale's tail.

A Dutch train that had overrun the track was prevented from falling to the ground below by an enormous sculpture depicting two whale tails. “Saved by the Whale’s Tail,” is the appropriately named sculpture, and the incident happened at the De Akkers metro station in Spijkenisse, which is close to Rotterdam.

Designed by architect Maarten Struijs, the sculpture in silver is composed of reinforced polyester and was placed at the station in 2002. The train, which is a part of the Rotterdam Metro network, shot through the automatic buffers at the end of the track just after midnight, according to the train’s operator RET. It landed on one of the whale tails, saving it from plummeting 32 feet to the ground.

This whale tail sculpture saved a train that went off the rails 1
The curious scene is attracting fascinated locals © Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Two metro routes, C from Capelle aan den IJssel and D from Rotterdam, terminate at De Akkers. No passengers were on board when the accident occurred. After the train came to a stop, the driver was able to get off without getting hurt. The sensitive removal procedure is made more difficult by the fact that the problematic track is directly above water and that big cranes cannot operate in the area. According to a local safety board spokesman, “We are trying to decide how we can bring the train down in a careful and controlled manner,” which was broadcaster NOS.

This whale tail sculpture saved a train that went off the rails 2
The silver sculpture was installed at the station in 2002 © Niels Wenstedt/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Locals are drawn to the odd scene as authorities figure out how to best remove the train from its unusual perch, but they are cautioned to keep their distance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Similar Stories
The Crystal Maiden of the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

The Crystal Maiden of the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave

Located in Belize, there is a cave where the remnants of ancient Maya human sacrifices can be witnessed. However, reaching the back of the cave system requires swimming, wading through a cave river, and crawling through narrow, uneven rocky passages in darkness. Once there, visitors can walk among the numerous corpses of sacrifice victims, including The Crystal Maiden, an 18-year-old whose skeleton has become calcified to the point of sparkling.

Leo Grand: from homeless to mobile app developer

Leo Grand: from homeless to mobile app developer

In 2013, A young programmer offered a homeless man the choice between $100 cash or coding lessons. Leo Grand chose the lessons, and his first mobile app was “Trees for Cars," which helps drivers find carpooling partners.

The WWII Parachute Wedding Dress

The WWII Parachute Wedding Dress

Major Claude Hensinger jumped out of a B-29 bomber during World War II when the engine caught fire. He was saved by his parachute. Later, he requested that his fiancée Ruth make him a gown out of the same parachute. The dress is now on display at the Smithsonian Institute.

JBJ Soul Kitchen: Bon Jovi's community restaurant

JBJ Soul Kitchen: Bon Jovi's community restaurant

JBJ Soul Kitchen is a community restaurant by Jon Bon Jovi with no prices on the menu; customers donate to pay for their meals. If you are unable to donate you may do volunteer work in exchange for your family’s meal.

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed

Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed

There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.

ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time

ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time

The ILOVEYOU Virus, also known as Love Letter for You or Love Bug, had a high infection rate due to its ability to spread itself by copying entries from users' email address books. It is a virus that was created in 2000 by a college student in Manilla, Philippines, and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst computer virus of all time, causing more damage than anything before it.

'Press Your Luck' Was Hacked in 1984 by an Ice Cream Man

'Press Your Luck' Was Hacked in 1984 by an Ice Cream Man

in 1984 an contestant made it onto the game show Press Your Luck. He discovered using his stop-motion VCR that the presumed random patterns of the game board were not random and memorized the sequences. On the game he was on, he won 45 consecutive spins. winning $110,237 in cash & prizes.

How hero parrot saved little girl who was choking on her breakfast

How hero parrot saved little girl who was choking on her breakfast

In 2008 Quaker parrot Willie alerted his owner Megan Howard when the little girl she was babysitting began to choke. Howard was in the bathroom when the parrot repeatedly yelled "Mama! Baby!" flapping his wings. Megan rushed and performed the Heimlich maneuver, saving her life. Willie received the Red Cross Animal Lifesaver Award.

The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes

The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes

Stefano Mariottini was snorkeling off the coast of Monasterace near Riace in 1972 when he noticed a human hand sticking out of the sand and called the police, thinking it was a corpse. It was actually two statues of "Warriors from Riace" - 5th century BC Greek bronze statues.

How Magic Johnson Missed Out On $7 Billion Nike deal

How Magic Johnson Missed Out On $7 Billion Nike deal

Magic Johnson turned down a deal with Nike in 1979 that offered him 100,000 shares of stock and $1 for every pair of shoes sold. Instead, he chose Converse, which offered him $100,000 per year. Johnson lost about $5 billion by declining the Nike deal.