Train 235, derailment, Ngaruawahia, 14 March 1998
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
98-105
On Saturday, 14 March 1998, at about 1802 hours a displaced stack of platform containers on Train 235, a Westfield to Wellington express freight train, struck a through-truss bridge at Ngaruawahia. As a result of the collision the train parted, six wagons were derailed, and major damage to the bridge occurred when five wagons and various loads concertinaed.
The cause of the collision was the movement of inadequately restrained stacked platform containers. Safety issues identified were:
• the serviceability and uniformity of integral interlocking devices fitted to platform containers;
• the standards for transporting stacked platform containers internationally; and
• the understanding of and compliance with requirements for transporting stacked platform containers by rail.
Three safety recommendations were made to address these issues.
The Commission investigated this incident because of the potential for loads which have moved in transit to endanger other trains and third parties adjacent to the track.
The cause of the collision was the movement of inadequately restrained stacked platform containers. Safety issues identified were:
• the serviceability and uniformity of integral interlocking devices fitted to platform containers;
• the standards for transporting stacked platform containers internationally; and
• the understanding of and compliance with requirements for transporting stacked platform containers by rail.
Three safety recommendations were made to address these issues.
The Commission investigated this incident because of the potential for loads which have moved in transit to endanger other trains and third parties adjacent to the track.
Location
Ngaruawahia (-37.661826,175.149064) [may be approximate]