Executive summary
On 8 December 1993 a shunting locomotive collided with a car on the Stanley Road level crossing, Gisborne, fatally injuring the motorist. The safety issue identified in the investigation was the risk to railway shunting staff of riding on the footplates of locomotives while crossing over public roads. A recommendation that event recorders should be fitted to shunting locomotives which travel on main lines or over public level crossings is also made.
Related Recommendations
Locomotive event recorders include capability to record the illumination of headlights and the sounding of the horn as well as the speed and brake pressure information currently recorded.
Shunting locomotives which travel along main lines or regularly pass over level crossings on public roads be fitted with event recorders.
Shunters be advised not to ride on the leading footplate of locomotives as they pass over public level crossings unless they are required to pilot the train movement at low speed.