RO-2005-126 Express freight Train 246, derailment, South Junction, 30 October 2005

On Sunday 30 October 2005 at about 1820, wagon UKR84 on Train 246, a Wellington to Auckland express freight service, derailed at 32.08 km, South Junction, between Pukerua Bay and Paekakariki, on the North Island Main Trunk. The wagon derailed as its leading bogie passed over a set of trailing points.

The left-hand leading bogie side frame had fractured through the top end pedestal and collapsed at about 28.733 km. The underside of the wagon then rested on the flange of the wheel and the brake rigging beneath the wagon dropped until the brake shoe rested on the head of the rail until the wagon derailed some 3.35 km further on. The derailed wagon was then dragged an additional 3.3 km before the train stopped at 35.38 km.

The collapsed bogie side frame damaged trackside structures at Pukerua Bay (30.295 km) and Muri (31.300 km) and, after the wagon derailed at 32.08 km, damaged the track from there to 35.38 km.

Safety issues identified included:

• the reporting and tracking of bogie component replacement

• the non-visual inspection of bogie components.

A previous safety recommendation covering the reporting and tracking of bogie components arising from another derailment has already been made to the Chief Executive of Toll NZ Consolidated Limited. A new safety recommendation has been made regarding the non-visual inspection of bogie components.