Probe after 4500-ton train decouples, sending wagons speeding through Sydney train stations

Investigations are now underway after steel-laden wagons from a 4500-ton, one-kilometre freight train burst free from the locomotive pulling them on Sunday morning in North Sydney.

It’s a miracle no one was killed after a portion of runaway freight train hurtled backwards through multiple North Sydney stations for two kilometres, in an incident experts are comparing to the “Granville Rail Disaster”.

Investigations are now underway after steel-laden wagons from a 4500-ton, one-kilometre freight train burst free from the locomotive pulling them on Sunday morning near Eastwood train station.

The loaded wagons hurtled backwards along the T9 train line, which was closed for several hours on Sunday after the incident, running from Eastwood, through Denistone and West Ryde stations, before coming to a stop near Meadowbank station.

A rail industry source said “this incident could have been as bad as the Granville Rail Disaster” – referring to Australia’s worst ever train disaster where 84 died after a commuter train derailed and collided into a bridge.

Images of the runaway section of freight train, where it came to stop at Meadowbank Station. Picture: Shannon Smith

“An out-of-control runaway train of that weight colliding with a double deck passenger train travelling behind it would have annihilated the first carriage full of commuters,“ the source said.

It’s understood the freight train, operated by Qube Logistics, was transporting steel products from Port Kembla to Brisbane for BlueScope Steel when the incident occurred before dawn Sunday.

A Qube spokesman confirmed they had launched an internal investigation into the incident, while revealing emergency brakes had been triggered as soon as the wagons decoupled.

But the weight of the wagons – combined with the downhill track to Meadowbank – meant it took kilometres for the breakaway section to come to a stop.

“Those investigations will seek to establish the cause of an equipment failure that led to a train’s wagons decoupling from locomotives on the Sydney rail network,” he said.

“Our initial investigations indicate that the decoupling triggered an emergency braking mechanism on the wagon consist, however given the grade and weight of the load it took some distance for wagons to come a complete stop, noting that train was more than one kilometre in length.

The locomotive at Eastwood, without its wagons. Picture: Shannon Smith

“There was no immediate risk to passenger services.”

Freight movements through Sydney typically take place in the early hours to avoid any clashes with passenger trains.

A Sydney Trains spokeswoman said they were first notified of a “decoupling between locomotive and wagons” by the freight train’s driver at 4.33am.

“The nearest passenger train was at least 15 minutes away allowing the situation to be managed without emergency intervention. There was no damage to infrastructure,” she said.

Both the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) and the Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI) confirmed they were investigating the incident.

“Engineering and rolling stock specialists along with rail safety investigators are leading the investigation,” an ONRSR spokesman said.

A spokesman for OTSI – the independent transport safety investigator for NSW – said staff had been deployed to the site “to collect evidence and commence the gathering of operational, technical and contextual information relevant to the incident”.

Acting Minister for Transport, Jenny Aitchison, said it was “appropriate” rail safety regulators are investigating the incident.

“Transport for NSW and the freight operator involved are both co-operating with the investigation,” she said.

Originally published as Probe after 4500-ton train decouples, sending wagons speeding through Sydney train stations