Executive summary
At approximately 1010 hours on Wednesday 24 November 1999, the Wellington to Auckland Overlander passenger express, Train 200, proceeded past a conditional stop board between Ohau and Levin without authority. Some 5 kilometres later Train 200 unexpectedly met a track maintenance gang, which had just cleared the track to allow the passage of the train. There were no injuries.
The safety issues identified were:
• the incomplete radio procedures for communication between locomotive engineers and track gangs working under conditional stop board protection
• the locomotive engineer passing the conditional stop board without authority
• the availability of an expired information bulletin
• the decision by the ganger in charge of the work to not arrange for fixed signals controlling entry of trains into the work area to be held at Stop
• the need for better understanding by train control officers and track gangers of responsibility for control of track and better communication.
Five safety recommendations were made to the operator.
Related Recommendations
Ensure persons in charge of obstructed sections are aware of, and comply with, the requirement to use fixed signals where available inside work limits to provide additional protection for staff working under conditional stop board protection conditions.
Audit the distribution and supply of information bulletins to ensure only current versions are available to LEs and operating staff.
ensure that all relevant Rule clauses and sub-clauses are specified in the "Work By Rule" section of the information bulletin.
Widen the application of procedures currently in place for radio communications between LEs and gangers working with track maintenance machines under conditional stop board protection conditions to also include track gangs when working under the same conditions.
Implement procedures to ensure that the requirements for persons in charge of obstructed sections to not obstruct the line until satisfied that any controlled signals governing the entry of trains into the work area are fixed at stop are complied with.