Community reacts to driver John Kennedy’s shock death in train smash
John Kennedy, the driver killed when his train dramatically derailed on its way to Melbourne, has been remembered as a “good bloke” whose death would be felt across the railway community.
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A beloved husband and father has been remembered as a “good-hearted soul” and a “top bloke” after dying in the Wallan train disaster.
Canberra man John Kennedy, 54, died alongside his 49-year-old pilot, from Castlemaine, in the devastating incident.
The Australian railway community was on Friday mourning over the loss of their colleagues who died on the job.
Junee man Kevin Schultz, who had known John Kennedy for more than a decade, said he was a “good bloke” who would be sorely missed.
“He was a good operator and a good-hearted soul,” Mr Schultz said.
“He was always ready for a laugh.
“He was a good driver, a top bloke all around.”
Mr Kennedy worked out of NSW TrainLink’s Junee depot and away from work was a mad Sydney Swans fan.
Mr Schultz said Mr Kennedy’s death would have a ripple effect through the railway community.
“When we lose our own, we all feel it, it is like losing part of your family,” he said.
“We are trying to do our jobs and get home safely, unfortunately one of our brothers has not gotten home.
“When we lose a comrade, all of us Aussie drivers feel it. It is a tragedy.”
Rail, Tram and Bus Union National Secretary Mark Diamond said driver and pilot were both respected by their peers.
“The two workers who were killed were both popular and highly respected members of the rail community,” he said.
The country town of Castlemaine was on Friday in shock that one of their own had been killed in the crash.
Locals said it was a “terribly sad” loss while others said a derailment was “unheard of” in this day and age. Outside one home, an Australian flag flew at half mast.
The town of almost 7000 people has a proud rail history, with an authentic steam tourist railway still in operation.
A NSW TrainLink spokesman said their “hearts go out” to the families of the two victims.
“This will be an exceptionally difficult time for them, and we will support them in any way that we can,” the spokesman said.
INJURED HOME FROM HOSPITAL
The 12 passengers taken to hospital with injuries after Thursday night’s horror train smash at Wallan have all been sent home from hospital.
A man who was taken by ambulance to Royal Melbourne Hospital was discharged at noon on Friday.
The Northern Hospital in Epping last night confirmed all eight passengers who
were taken there with minor injuries had been discharged.
A spokeswoman said the patients were aged from their mid 40s to early 90s.
Three people who were treated at Kilmore Hospital were also released.
A number of senior staff returned to the Northern Hospital on Thursday night after news broke of the train disaster to help deal with the influx of patients.
Northern Health Emergency Services director Cindy Joffe said the team worked in conjunction with Ambulance Victoria.
“I’m proud of the fantastic staff at Northern Hospital who launched into action and initiated our incident preparedness,” she said.
“Executive, medical and nursing staff ensured the emergency department
was a safe environment for any patients that were due to arrive.
“I would also like to acknowledge our rural Ambulance Victoria colleagues that kept us well informed so we were ready to provide the best care for the patients.”
An ambulance helicopter was on standby at the train crash scene but was not required.
The XPT train Mr Kennedy was driving derailed at Wallan about 7.45pm on Wednesday, killing the ACT local, and the train’s pilot, a 49-year-old Castlemaine man.
Dozens of passengers were injured.
The Sydney-Melbourne train — a NSW TrainLink Regional service — was required to use the loop because of maintenance on the line which is under the control of the Australian Rail Track Corporation.
Signalling systems in the area had also changed after a fire at the signalling hut at Wallan earlier this month.
Industry insiders told the Herald Sun the crash could likely have been caused by a communication breakdown that meant the train had not slowed down to the 15kmh limit on the loop.
The train was travelling on a separate track to the line used by Victoria’s V/Line services, which had been of concern to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union in the past week.
One train had been temporarily halted by a V/Line driver due to concerns about signalling last week. The signalling issues had been expected to take up to a month to fix.
The shutdown in signalling along that part of the railway meant drivers were required to have a second-person “pilot” in the train’s cab to assist with navigation.
This is not required on parts of the network where signals are working normally and some regulators also require drivers to travel at much slower speeds while this system is in place.
V/Line drivers over the past week had refused to drive along the corridor where the crash happened, about 50km north of Melbourne’s CBD.
National Secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union Mark Diamond said the community was devastated over the loss of train driver John Kennedy.
“Mr Kennedy was a popular and highly respected member of the railway community,” Mr Diamond said.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Luba Grigorovitch said the section of track was awaiting maintenance.
“Conditions were altered and V/Line drivers rightly refused to traverse this section over the past week,” she said.
“The RTBU is deeply saddened by the tragic accident that has taken the life of two rail workers and unnecessarily injured many more.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy, from other rail workers, affected passengers and the family and friends of all those grieving from this incident.
“Today marks a difficult day for drivers and rail workers across the state and the RTBU will be here not only to offer support but to ensure a thorough investigation is undertaken.”
People who knew Mr Kennedy shared expressed their grief on Friday night.
“He was a great man, well respected by the railway,” Ebony Innes wrote on social media.
“You will be sorely missed.”
V/Line chief James Pinder said he was not aware of drivers who refused to drive over the stretch of track.
“V/Line was operating on this track yesterday,” he said. “This is a particularly complicated part of infrastructure V/Line tracks operate right alongside ARTC tracks.
“I’m not aware of those comments that have been made this morning (regarding drivers refusing to drive the track).
“A lot of comments have been made in response to this incident.
“Our thoughts at the moment are with the people who have been tragically affected by this incident and support the investigation into this incident and making sure we get to the bottom of it.”
Nationals deputy leader Steph Ryan, who has been campaigning for the upgrade of the track for the past five years, also arrived at the tragic scene at Wallan this morning.
The Shadow Minister for Regional Public Transport said the stretch of track had been plagued with issues in recent years, but especially in the past few weeks.
“I have people approaching me on a weekly, almost daily basis with stories of delayed or cancelled trains along this section of the track,” she said.
“We hadn’t had a tragic outcome like this in recent decades and it’s gut wrenching that we’ve had a derailment.
“Obviously, the safety investigations need to run their course and you can’t pre empt what they might find but we do know that this section of the track has been the cause of big delays in the V/Line service over the last couple weeks.
She added: “Drivers have raised concerns with me about the state of the track over the years, I know they’ve raised them with the union and I believe they’re raised them directly with V/Line as well. I’ve raised them with the government basically every week in parliament for years.”
TRACK ‘SAFE’ TO TRAVEL ON
Visiting the scene this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack insisted the track were the train derailed was safe to travel on, despite the “tragic” incident.
Minister McCormack said: “No authorities would ever let a train travel on an unsafe track, I want to make that very clear.
“Of course engineering scopes and safety checks are conducted on tracks, whether they are state-run tracks or whether they are ARTC tracks.
“That happens all the time to ensure passenger and public safety is first and foremost.
He continued: “This is a tragic incident. Of course we will be making investigations as to the condition of the track and as to whatever else might have happened last night.”
ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Wood said the transport watchdog would be probing whether the train was adhering to the speed limit when it left the tracks.
“All of that, the interviewing of witnesses will take place from now on. Things like the speed limit will be examined,” he said.
“All the evidence will be gathered and examined over the next week or so. We’re only just beginning our work this morning.”
The train was running more than an hour late. It had been due to arrive at Southern Cross Station at 6.30pm.
In December, a contract was awarded for a $235 million project to upgrade the line.
Minister for Public Transport Melissa Horne confirmed maintenance works were due to begin on the stretch of track.
“I understand that there were works that were starting,” she said. “They were as part of the ARTC works that were kicking off.”
When asked what was happening with the maintenance at the time of the incident, she added: “That will be part of the investigation. The investigation is just starting today, it will be absolutely comprehensive.
“All the agencies at a federal and state level will work together to make sure the victims’ families have the answers they deserve.”
It is understood both V/Line and the union had agreed on slower speed limits than the Australian Rail Track Corporation had recommended.
Concerns were raised about track degradation in that area.
Meanwhile, NSW regional transport minister Paul Toole confirmed the whole XPT fleet was due to be replaced, with some trains running on the service for almost 40 years.
“We’ve already said we’re going to be replacing out XPTs. We have brand new XPTs that are going to be rolling out in 2023,” he said.
“Some of these trains are 38 years old so they’ve well and truly served their purpose over that time in regional communities.
“I just want to make the point that at Train Link, safety for our passengers and crew is a priority. This is devastating. Two lives have been lost … My heart goes out to these families.”
When questioned about issues with the punctuality and performance of the Sydney-Melbourne service, Mr Toole said: “There are various factors. Sometimes we see track work, sometimes we see changes, things happen to signalling — this is all part of trains.
“Of course we want to see them operating because that’s what the customer experience is all about — having trains run on a timetable that is going to be kept.
We’re always looking at ways to improve that but there are circumstances that are beyond our control from time to time that mean they can’t run to that time table.”
TRAIN LINE’S HISTORY OF ISSUES
Before yesterday’s crash, the Border Mail reported V/Line and the ARTC had differing views about when the signal hut in Wallan destroyed by fire could be repaired.
V/Line expected the work to take up to a month but ARTC had said the signalling system would be functioning this weekend.
The ARTC had said trains running through the corridor were required to run in “degraded mode” operations at 25kmh, and V/Line trains had also been running at reduced speeds in the area.
“The loss of the signalling system and the need for a complete rebuild of the signal relay hut meant potential delays of more than 120 minutes per train service as a result of the requirement to run in ‘degraded mode’ operations at 25kmh,” an ARTC spokesperson told the Border Mail.
“In response, ARTC consulted with its customers and has invested tens of thousands of dollars a day in an interim train authority system while repairs are undertaken.
“This is a safeworking system to allow trains to run at normal operating speed but includes stopping at Donnybrook and Kilmore East.
“It has reduced delays for freight and passenger customers travelling through this section.”
An ARTC spokesperson said the fatal derailment was tragic and the focus was on supporting emergency authorities and transport agencies in their investigation and response to the incident.
The Victorian coroner, Office of the National Safety Regulator and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau were at the site today.
“Firstly, our thoughts are with the loved ones of those who have sadly passed away and with affected passengers,” the ARTC spokesperson said.
It comes after a freight train collided with a V/Line service on January 29 after it derailed from the tracks close to the NSW border at Barnawartha, 240km north of Wallan.
After the collision, 19 people were evacuated from the passenger train. There were no injuries.
Commenting on the freight crash, Mr Pinder said: “That previous incident was investigated, not technically by V/Line because it wasn’t technically a V/Line incident. It involved a freight train operated on ARTC’s infrastructure.
ARTC provided assurance that the track was safe to reopen and the track reopened, he said.
“My understanding is that there’s a number of avenues of inquiry for that investigation. It’s still ongoing and I’ve got every confidence that the ARTC will get to the bottom of that,” Mr Pinder said.
“What I can say now is that’s a totally separate incident from this incident, it happened on a separate part of the infrastructure and involved a freight train.”
20 PASSENGERS UNACCOUNTED FOR
Police are still looking to account for about 20 people who were on-board, saying they were still working with the train company to confirm passenger numbers.
Officers are confident that the scene has been cleared of all passengers and staff aboard, but are encouraging anyone who was on the train and had not spoken with emergency services — or anyone who purchased a ticket but did not board the train — to call Seymour Police Station on 5735 0200.
They said 11 passengers were transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Seven people were taken to the Northern Hospital, three to the Kilmore and District Hospital and a man aged in his 60s to The Royal Melbourne Hospital.
The track is unlikely to open for another four to five days.
Victoria’s transport minister Mellisa Horne and NSW Regional Transport Minister Paul Toole inspected the scene this morning, along with V/Line chief James Pinder.
Victoria Police Acting Inspector Peter Fusinato said it was a miracle that more people weren’t seriously hurt.
“As a first responder who turned up, it would have looked like a horrific scene,” he said.
“The outcome was probably far greater than you would have anticipated. I’m very surprised there weren’t more serious injuries.”
Acting Insp Fusinato said the engine of the train tipped onto its side.
“We’ve done a thorough search of the train and no one was ejected,” he said.
The train is thought to have left Sydney’s Central Station at 7.40am and was running more than an hour late at the time the accident happened.
Passengers have said the driver told them over the public address system he would try to make up time before the train carrying 153 passengers and five crew flew off the tracks.
Passenger Joan Marks told the Herald Sun the train had been running behind schedule with several delays.
“We stopped for a bit then he really took off,’’ she said.
Passengers described being thrown violently around inside the train as the diesel locomotive and at least four carriages careered off the tracks.
Shocked and bruised passengers climbed out of the wrecked train onto the tracks, while a triage centre was set up at a nearby petrol station — the Wallan BP truck stop on the Hume Freeway — and ambulances began ferrying the injured to hospital.
A Northern Health spokeswoman said patients who arrived there were aged from their mid-40s to early 90s.
She said their injuries were minor and they were all in a stable condition.
A number of hospital staff returned to the Northern late last night after news broke of the derailment to help deal with the influx of patients.
Uninjured passengers began arriving at Southern Cross station on buses about 10.30pm last night.
Many expressed their relief, with some met by emergency services coming off the replacement coaches.
A couple from Burwood spoke of the crash, saying they were just “relieved” to be home
“We just felt the train skid along and go sideways and we went into trees,” they told the Herald Sun.
“The SES, police and ambos were fantastic, but everyone was good, everyone was positive and calm, there was no panic. We are just happy to be breathing.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Michael McCormack was briefed on the incident last night.
In December, Infrastructure Australia ruled that the business case for an upgrade of the Melbourne-Albury North East Rail Line should not be included on its priority list.
CHAOS AS PASSENGERS ‘WENT FLYING’
One passenger described items flying through the air as the train derailed and “suddenly slid into a fast stop”.
Dr Scott Rickard said the “carriage (was) at an angle” and “tray tables went flying”.
“Fortunately only a few ppl (sic) injured in our carriage,” she said on Twitter.
“Stuff flew everywhere. Carriages crumpled at edges. We walked out. Most people able to walk out.
“We’re in a bit of shock, but OK. Drinking cuppas now,” she added.
The aerodynamic Express Passenger Train (XPT) travels between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Dubbo, Grafton and Casino, and travels at a top speed of about 160kmh.
Emergency services worked to clear heavy wreckage around the tracks last night.
Ms Marks, 74, said the derailment “felt like we just went flying”.
She and twin sister Ivy Bell, from Leeton in NSW, got on at Wagga and were headed to Melbourne to visit family.
She said the journey didn’t get off to the best start and was running behind schedule.
“It wasn’t a real good ride when we got on,” she told the Herald Sun at the scene.
“Then we left Seymour, we stopped for a bit then he really took off.”
She said there had been a sudden jolt.
“Just like that it was off the rails, there were cases everywhere, I’ve never seen anything like it before’” she said.
“I’m not sure if he was making up time because he was running late, but it came off the rails all of a sudden.
“We were an hour and a half late as it was. We had to stop just outside Seymour because of the signals. He (the driver) did say over the speaker he was going to try to make up time.”
One man aged in his 70s said train staff told passengers during a delay that there were ongoing problems with the track, asking those on board to lodge complaints.
He said “heads should roll” over the derailment, adding: “I just hope someone gets a kick in the pants over this, because it has not just happened, it’s been ongoing.”
Canberra man James Ashburner, 69, was sitting by the window in the first passenger carriage when the train derailed.
He said it had been travelling “at 100-odd kmh and then things went strange”.
“There was a lot of noise and suddenly there was dust, the train was swaying a lot,” he said.
“I didn’t realise that we had derailed until we came to a stop.
“Initially we were all just stunned, people went flying, stuff went flying. A couple of people had been standing in the aisle and they really went flying.
“For some minutes, we were just milling about seeing who needed assistance and what sort of assistance.”
Mr Ashburner said that the woman seated in front of him suffered a blow to the back of her head and was bleeding profusely just behind the ear.
“It was just oozy blood, she had a serious cut,” he said.
One passenger has described items flying everywhere as the train derailed, and “suddenly slid into a fast stop”.
‘BLUE MURDER’ TRIP FOR EARLIER PASSENGERS
A retired rail worker who was on the Sydney-Melbourne train ahead of the service that derailed said their trip was so rough he was “frightened” and he feared it would go off the tracks.
Merv Bartlett, a retired station master who worked for 40 years in the rail industry was travelling on the overnight train with his wife.
“There were at least 20 times when the train (the one he was travelling on) hit what we call ‘a hole in the road’.”
Mr Bartlett described “a hole in the road” as a depression where the track is not level and smooth.
“A couple of times I thought, we’re in trouble here. I was quite frightened, to be truthful.”
Mr Bartlett, from Brisbane, said they had come to Melbourne to visit a sick relative.
“When we got to Southern Cross, I got out and I walked up to the locomotive and the driver was getting out and I said to him: ‘How did you keep it on the tracks?’
“He said to me ‘We’ve got a lot of troubles’. I asked if he wanted to talk about it and he said ‘no’.”
Mr Bartlett, 81, said it was the “worst trip” he’d ever experienced and that he felt dreadful for the people on the train that derailed.
He said he was so concerned after his own trip, he wanted to report it but he didn’t know who to report it to.
“I was going to go to the police but I didn’t know who to complain to,” he said.
He and his wife were on the overnight train that got into Southern Cross Station about 8am Thursday.
“From Sydney, it was okay until about 11pm. But between 1am and about 4.30am, it was blue murder.”
Mr Bartlett said his wife had already booked flights home to avoid catching the train.
Coaches will continue replace rail services while the track remains closed.
Public Transport Users Association’s Daniel Bowen described the crash as an “awful thing”.
“Our thoughts are with those affected by this,” he said.
“Thankfully serious accidents on the rail network are very rare, but that makes it even more important to investigate the cause.”
Premier Daniel Andrews tweeted last night: “Our thoughts are with everyone involved, including our first responders.
“And our sympathies are with the families and friends of those we’ve lost.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also posted to social media this morning: “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives.
“We hope for a speedy recovery for those injured and thank all those who helped at the scene.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian this morning said: “These events have widespread impacts on all those involved, and we are heartbroken at the loss. The NSW Government is working closely with our colleagues in Victoria and the Federal Government to investigate how the accident occurred.”
Additional reporting by Monique Hore, Alanah Frost, Tamsin Rose, James Campbell, Matt Johnston, Josh Fagan, Jack Paynter, Sharon McGowan and Andrew Koubaridis
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Originally published as Community reacts to driver John Kennedy’s shock death in train smash