Re: Indian Pacific collision in WA

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

I went looking for more details on this collision.  We have to take the
published reports with several grains of salt (as ever!).  I read that a
"National Rail spokesman" is quoted that "there was switch points that were
set to take the Indian pacific into a crossing loop when that shouldn't have
been the case."  At least this seems to have been slow speed event, not
another Hines Hill.

The report of the Prospector running to Coonara (if correct) must be a
first!

Rgds

Bill

from http://www.news.com.au/

WA train line expected to reopen tomorrow
>From AAP
19aug99

THE east-west rail link was expected to be remain closed today after a
passenger train hit a freight train 200km east of Kalgoorlie yesterday.

Authorities said the crash occurred when the Indian Pacific passenger train
moved onto a siding, where the freight train was stopped to allow the Indian
Pacific to pass.

National Rail spokesman Fred Affleck said he did not know why the passenger
train moved off the main line.

"As I understand it the points are initially set by the train crew of one of
the trains, and once the train passes the switches restore themselves to
their previous position automatically," he said told ABC radio.

Around a dozen people were injured in the collision which derailed the
Indian Pacific at Zanthus station.

WA transit control spokesman Richard Challis told AAP he didn't know exactly
when the line would be reopened but authorities did not expect much damage
to the infrastructure.

"Our intention is to have it reopened by daylight, " Mr Challis said.

The train, carrying about 170 passengers, collided at low speed with a
stationary freight train about 5.09pm WST.

A spokesman for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) said nine people,
mainly elderly, were being treated for minor injuries including chest pain,
chest injuries and whiplash.

He said there were no major injuries. One RFDS plane, carrying a doctor, was
already near the scene and another two were on their way.

"We have one plane which has landed at the nearest available airstrip, about
40km away and we have another plane which has arrived on the ground in
Kalgoorlie," the RFDS spokesman said.

Another plane, carrying another doctor, was also expected to arrive at the
site soon.

WA police inspector Alf Fordham said the Indian Pacific had been travelling
west on the trans-continental line at the time of the crash.

"At the siding near Coonara, around 200 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie, it
had a minor, low speed collision with a stationary freight train," he said.

The drivers of both trains were fine, he said.

The Prospector train, carrying medical officers, is being sent from
Kalgoorlie to transport passengers from the crash site.

Mr Affleck said there appeared to be minimal damage to the trains and the
track.

"The information we have at this stage is that no-one has been seriously
injured," he told ABC radio.

"They will be evacuated by ambulances and the Royal Flying Doctor Service as
soon as possible."

A spokesperson for Great Southern Railway, which operates Indian Pacific
along with the Ghan and the Overland, was not immediately available.

The Indian Pacific is a trans-continental train service, linking Perth and
Sydney via Adelaide.

The 4,352-kilometre journey takes two and a half days.

The Indian Pacific was formerly owned by Australian National Railways but
sold to the Great Southern Railway consortium which included Macquarie Bank
in 1997.

produced by News Interactive ©  News Limited 1999



http://www.abc.net.au/news/state/sa/metsa-19aug1999-9.htm

Investigation about to start into rail crash

An investigation team is heading for the Zanthus railway settlement, about
200 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, to start an investigation into
yesterday's rail crash.

The Indian Pacific passenger train ran into a National Rail goods train on a
rail siding loop.

National Rail spokesman Fred Affleck says preliminary investigations point
to a failure of one of the trains to activate switch points to keep it on
the main line.

Mr Affleck says the switch points are operated by the train drivers.

"On the face of it the accident was caused by the fact that there was switch
points that were set to take the Indian pacific into a crossing loop when
that shouldn't have been the case."

"They should have been set to let it continue on the main line."

"Now the question which we don't have an answer to is why was that the case
and that will be obviously a focus for the examination."

Meanwhile passengers aboard the Indian Pacific have described their
experience.

Eleven passengers suffered injuries including chest and back pain and
bruising.

They were airlifted to hospital last night.

Passenger Belinda Rickson said "It knocked everyone sprawling, it was like a
small bump to start with and then a big whack and that's when you looked
around, I had to pick myself up and everyone was just everywhere, people
started crying and screaming."


from http://www.abc.net.au/news/regionals/kalgoor/regkal-19aug1999-13.htm

Investigation begins into WA train crash

Rail investigators are expected to arrive soon at the scene of a train crash
east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder involving a passenger train and a freight
service.

The accident happened in a crossing loop 200 kilometres east of the city
last night.

Early reports suggest an eastbound freight train had entered the loop to
allow the westbound Indian Pacific train to pass on the main line.

But the Indian Pacific also entered the loop and collided at low speed with
the stationary freight train.

About a dozen passengers were injured. They were all airlifted to
Kalgoorlie-Boulder last night.

The remaining passengers - numbering about 170 - have been railed back to
Kalgoorlie-Boulder and are now being taken to Perth on either rail or coach
services.

Steve Bradford from Great Southern Railways, which operates the Indian
Pacific, says an inquiry is underway.

"Experienced accident investigators are heading toward the scene and they'll
make their judgement of the cause of the incident and recommendations for
the future," Mr Bradford said.

Passengers have described what happened when the two trains collided shortly
after tea had been served on the train, about 5:05pm AWST yesterday.

They say the train came to an abrupt halt, partly derailing one carriage and
sending people flying.

"We were in the carriage that buckled," one passenger said.

"We were sitting there having a smoke and next minute bang and we were
everywhere. I'll never go back on there again," he said.

"We were sitting in the smokers' room, which is the actual carriage that
dented in," another said.

"All of a sudden it just came to a halt and the carriage sort of toppled
over and everyone got thrown around."
Yuri J Sos/Melbourne AUS wrote in message
<37c3bb46.20158513@news.enternet.com.au>...
Nightline on Channel 9 reports passengers injured on Indian Pacific
tonight:  16 passengers were injured at Zanthusa loop, WA, when the
westbound Indian Pacific entered the loop and collided with a
stationary eastbound goods train.

The east-west line is closed.

The aerial (file) footage accompanying the report shows an AN CLP on
the point of the train.

Regards

Yuri
--
==================================
Yuri J Sos
Melbourne VIC AUS

Reply to: steam4me@enternet.com.au

Personal Web site at
http://www.railpage.org.au/steam4me
Recipient of Compuserve Web Gem Award
==================================
Go Bombers! --- on track for the '99 flag