Express freight Train 540, derailment, Kai Iwi, 26 November 2000
Status
Closed
Occurrence Date
Report Publication Date
Jurisdiction
NZ
Legacy Inquiry Number
00-117
On Sunday, 26 November 2000 at about 0105, Train 540, the northbound Longburn to Whareroa milk train, derailed near Kai Iwi while rounding a curve about 25 km/h faster than the authorised and posted curve speed of 50 km/h. Ten full milk-tanker wagons left the track and came to rest in a gully below, disgorging a large volume of milk. There were no injuries.
The reason for the excessive speed in the curve was the locomotive engineer losing situational awareness during a microsleep.
Safety issues identified included the control of locomotive engineer hours of duty, fatigue management, and the ability of the vigilance system to overcome a short-term attention deficit in sufficient time to prevent this type of occurrence.
The reason for the excessive speed in the curve was the locomotive engineer losing situational awareness during a microsleep.
Safety issues identified included the control of locomotive engineer hours of duty, fatigue management, and the ability of the vigilance system to overcome a short-term attention deficit in sufficient time to prevent this type of occurrence.
Location
Kai Iwi (-39.860850,174.901846) [may be approximate]