This report examines 6 track heat buckle incidents that occurred in different localities throughout New Zealand in the summer of 2000/2001, 5 of which resulted in derailments. Safety issues identified by these incidents included:
• the need for training of track staff to ensure they recognise and respond to visible track defects
• the possible need to protect continuous welded rail, formed at an unknown neutral temperature, during hot weather
• the need to control tamping and lining to ensure track is not realigned leaving increased compressive stress in the rails
• the need to review the siting and trigger setting of heat sensors
• the practicality of the current Rule 176 regarding Caution signals for reduction of speed.
Five safety recommendations were made to the operator to address these safety issues.
[Safety recommendations 020/01, 021/01 and 022/01 were repeated in a subsequent report 02-104.]
Includes investigations 00-118, 00-119, 00-120 and 01-103
