Zanthus train collision

infobox AU rail accident


title = Zanthus train collision
date = 18 August 1999
time =
location =
location-dist = 739
location-dir = ENE
location-city = Perth, Western Australia
line = Trans-Australian Railway
operator = National Rail Corporation, Great Southern Railway
type = Collision
cause = Driver error
trains = 2
pax =
deaths =
injuries = 21

The Zanthus train collision occurred at a crossing loop on the Trans-Australian Railway between Perth to Sydney on 18 August 1999. It is located km to mi|num=739|abbr=yes|abbr=yes east northeast of Perth and km to mi|num=202|abbr=yes|abbr=yes east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, on the Nullarbor Plain.

Incident

On 18 August 1999 an eastbound freight train was waiting at the departure end of the crossing loop for the westbound Indian Pacific passenger train to pass through. [ATSBLink | type =R | year =1999 | occno =001 | title = Collision between Indian Pacific Passenger Train 3AP88 and Freight Train 3PW4N | accessdate = 2007-06-09]

The second engineman was waiting at the control panel for the turnout for the opposing train to pass through. Out of habit he had the control panel box unlocked and opened. Unfortunately, out of habit, he pressed the button to operate the turnout at an inappropriate time, and the opposing train was diverted at a speed of about convert|40|km/h|mph|abbr=on into the loop where it could not stop in time to avoid a head-on collision.

=Injuries and da

Twenty-one passengers and crew from the Indian Pacific were airlifted by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Kalgoorlie Hospital from the remote Coonana airstrip, km to mi|num=40|abbr=yes|abbr=yes from the crash site. Only two passengers were admitted for overnight observations. Westrail provided two Prospector railcars to transfer the remainder of the passengers back to Kalgoorlie.

All nineteen coaches of the Indian Pacific received varying degrees of damage, from minor internal damage to the write-off of luggage/smoking car HM311; some abandoned wrecked carriages are still at the site. [cite web | title = Zanthus train wreck | work = The Degree Confluence Project | url = http://www.confluence.org/photo.php?visitid=9879&pic=8 | accessdate = 2008-09-30 ] At the time, Great Southern Railways estimated the damage to the coaches to be of the value of A$5 million dollars. National Rail Corporation estimated the damage to locomotives NR15 and NR51 at around A$1 million dollars.

Aftermath

Since the accident, the operation of the turnout has been altered so that the point indicator lights will not operate until the access process is completed, [ [http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/rail_zanthus.pdf Independent Investigation report section, see section 1.12.2 pg 20] ] and this gives all trains time to stop at the red point indicator lights.

The simplified overview of process is:
#access box - 120-180 second delay all line points are/change to red
#door opens
#60-90 second delay until point control inputs are accepted, points can then be changed.
#close door/seal box, lights are changed to indicate point positions.All traffic then proceeds as directed.

This accident happened because the points were not fully interlocked, and were merely a kind of power-assisted hand lever.

References

* [http://danger-ahead.railfan.net/reports/rep99/Kalgoorlie_Boulder990818.html Railfan report]
*cite web |title=Collision Indian Pacific Passenger Train 3AP88 and Freight Train 3PW4N |url=http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediafiles/rail_zanthus.pdf |date=14 September, 1999 |accessdate=2008-01-28