RO-1994-110Steam passenger train, derailment, Driving Creek Railway Coromandel, 2 April 1994
Rail
Published date
29 November 1994
Accident/Incident date
2 April 1994
Status
Published
Jurisdiction
New Zealand
Executive summary
On 2 April 1994 a locomotive and carriage on the 15 inch gauge tourist railway at the Driving Creek Potteries near Coromandel lost adhesion and slid down a 1 in 17 grade until they derailed by partially overturning on a sharp curve. The safety issue identified in the investigation was the need to ensure that traction could be maintained at all times.
Do not use the locomotive and carriage consist on days when there is a build-up of wet leaf litter on the rails, but instead use the articulated train which has traction on all wheels.
Install an emergency sanding system to provide an alternative method of enhancing the wheel/rail adhesion should the normal sanding system fail to work effectively.
