Derailment in Victoria Australia

[katoftw]

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/passengers-trapped-as-train-derails-wallan-station-in-victoria/news-story/91d2430f84b620b553e5f941c3fcc2fa

[marknewton]

Not looking forward to learning more about this. The driver would have been from Junee depot, and the onboard crew from Albury. I know people from both depots.
 

From the few pictures and videos I've seen so far the derailment appears to have occurred at the entry to the standard gauge crossing loop just north of Wallan. I've been put away there many times over the years on excursions to Melbourne. Track speed for the main is 130kmh, 15kmh for the turnout.

 

I really hope this doesn't turn out to be what my first thoughts were.

 

Mark.

[ben_issacs]

Folks, 

An amazing similarity to the recent Italian derailment, two people killed in both cases, apparent derailment at a set of points.

The North-Eastern Line in Victoria, which is part of the Melb.-Sydney route, is well known for poor track, maintenance not being well done for many years.

Regards, 

Bill,

Melbourne.

 

[Takahama Trainwatcher]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-21/wallan-train-derailment-union-says-track-awaiting-maintenance/11987230

[ben_issacs]

Folks,

All the pollies trying to cover their backsides and uttering platitudes.

The ATSB (Australian Transport Safety Bureau) will give the facts, but that will take up to a year or more.

There will be a Coroner's Inquest on the two deaths, but that won't be much quicker.

Regards, 

Bill, 

Melbourne.

 

[katoftw]

It will be longer. We had a death in the railway in May 2017. Results from ATSB were delivered this week.

[stevenh]

All initial reports indicate that the wallan loop entry point was set to diverge and yes, the train was doing 100km/h over the recommended diverge speed.

Do the XPTs have any kind of recorder? Black-box, etc?

I assume the role of the 'pilot' was to guide through the broken signals (thanks to the burning down of Wallan signal box), but also to remind the driver of diverging points?

[katoftw]

XPTs have an event recorder and ATP or similar system.

[marknewton]

XPT power cars have a data logger, Hasler speed recorder and ICE radio, which incorporates various data and monitoring functions. While they have been fitted for ATP, that equipment hasn't been activated yet. The standard gauge in Victoria is not equipped for ATP operation.

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

11 hours ago, stevenh said:

I assume the role of the 'pilot' was to guide through the broken signals (thanks to the burning down of Wallan signal box), but also to remind the driver of diverging points?

Under ARTC rules for the standard gauge in Victoria the pilot relies on route information supplied on a CAN form - Condition Affecting the Network - and the Train Authority issued by the train controller when the normal system of safeworking has been suspended.

 

I won't be posting any more comments in this thread. The driver was a mate of mine, having previously worked for Sydney Trains as an ETR driver, driver trainer and then inspector/operational standards manager. He was a good hand, and a good man.

 

"Two, mate!"

 

Mark.

[stevenh]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-03/atsb-preliminary-report-on-wallan-train-derailment/12115100

 

Preliminary investigation results released.