RO-2003-102

On Monday 10 February 2003, at about 1600, hi-rail vehicle 67425 derailed near Fordell during a special hot weather track inspection on the Marton-New Plymouth Line. The vehicle rolled and came to rest on its side, clear of the track. The driver sustained serious injuries and the vehicle was extensively damaged. As a result, about 90 minutes passed before the driver was able to use his cellphone to alert the Police, and subsequently train control, to his situation. Meanwhile, the designated time of 1615 for the hi-rail vehicle to be off track had elapsed, and the train controller authorised express freight Train 545 to enter the same section of track. The train controller was able to alert the locomotive engineer of Train 545 before he reached the accident site.

The safety issues identified included:
· the training and certification of drivers to operate a hi-rail vehicle
· the operating rules that allowed a train controller to authorise a train to enter a section of track that was already occupied
· the wearing of seatbelts when operating a hi-rail vehicle on track.
In view of the safety actions taken to address the track occupancy procedures, no safety recommendations have been made regarding that issue.

One safety recommendation has been made to the Chief Executive of Tranz Rail regarding the wearing of seatbelts and one safety recommendation has been made to the General Manager of Transfield Services (New Zealand) Limited regarding training and certification of hi-rail vehicle drivers.