On Tuesday 27 April 2004 at about 1605 hours, express freight Train 220 collided with the empty trailer of a fertiliser truck and trailer unit at a farm access level crossing between Maewa and Rangitawa on the North Island Main Trunk. The front bogie of the lead locomotive derailed and the truck and trailer unit was extensively damaged. One traction mast was knocked over and the overhead catenary brought down.
The locomotive engineer and the truck driver both suffered minor injuries.
The safety issues identified were:
• the legal status of the level crossing
• the view lines at the level crossing
• the available stacking distances for long road vehicles
Three safety recommendations were made to the Chief Executive of New Zealand Railways Corporation.
