At about 0615 on Thursday, 13 September 2001, an unattached loaded log wagon on the leading end of a shunt being propelled into a siding at Stillwater was routed onto the main line at a damaged turnout and rolled 450 m downgrade on the Midland Line. Thick fog was present at the time and the loss of the wagon was not realised until 0645 and it was not located until 0700.
The safety issues identified included:
• rail service operations being carried out by non-qualified contractors at Stillwater
• the Land Transport Safety Authority not proactively ensuring rail service operations were carried out by a licensed rail service operator under appropriate safety system provisions
• lack of compliance with Tranz Rail Limited shunting procedures.
[Report referred to earlier safety recommendations 048/00, 049/00, and 050/00 arising from investigation 99-121. These recommendations were implemented following investigation 01-112 and subsequently assigned the status of closed-acceptable.]
