Executive summary
On Sunday, 15 August 1999, Train 281, a southbound Te Rapa to Palmerston North freight, stalled as it ascended steep grade up the Owhango bank. After the stalling the locomotive engineer moved to and from the lead locomotive and brought into operation an unmanned trailing diesel-electric locomotive in an attempt to assist the train up the gradient. On finally returning to the moving lead locomotive he slipped while entering the cab and suffered serious injuries. The train was brought to a stop by another person riding in the cab of the lead locomotive.
Safety issues identified were:
• the locomotive engineer's deliberate use of an unauthorised and unsafe manner of train operation
• the train control officer's failure to appreciate and prevent the unauthorised operation
• the ineffective procedure for matching locomotive power to load
• the timeliness of the emergency response.
Five safety recommendations were made to the operator to address these safety issues.
Related Recommendations
Review the effectiveness of the Tranz Rail emergency plan to respond to such accidents to ensure it includes guidelines to TCOs and network control managers to minimise the initial delay in notifying emergency services and ensure timely information regarding access to accident and incident sites.
Control the conditions for cab riders to avoid familiarity resulting in a delegated control function.
Revise the procedures for tagging downrated locomotives to include a formal process to have them entered into the computerised tonnage control system, and include such information in the train consist documentation supplied to LEs, together with the status of any non-powered locomotives in the consist.
Include this accident, and the safety messages highlighted by this report, as a case study to be included in the ongoing training of the operating groups concerned.
Ensure that procedures for dealing with stalled trains are understood and adhered to by all operating staff.