Rail union said derailment has exposed train safety failings

Rail authorities have revealed when the track where a freight train derailed will re-open.

Carriages piled on top of each other after a train derailment near Inverleigh on Monday morning. Picture: David Smith

The track where a freight train derailed near Inverleigh is set to re-open on Tuesday.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) confirmed more than 50 workers were on site clearing the 16 derailed carriages and completing track repairs so the Melbourne to Adelaide route could re-open.

It comes as the Rail, Bus and Tram Union (RBTU) has slammed Australia’s rail safety laws saying the derailment has exposed its failings.

RTBU national secretary Mark Diamond said rail workers had lost confidence in the safety measures and an urgent review of rail national law was needed.

“Rail workers are already aware of the failings in the rail safety system and they want to see action,” he said.

Mr Diamond said Australia’s rail network needed a bigger workforce as heavy rain should not be used as an excuse for infrastructure failings.

“(We need) a rail workforce that is big enough to ensure that every kilometre of track is appropriately maintained and regularly checked - especially during times of extreme rainfall or heat,” he said.

Rail safety national laws were first introduced ten years ago and Mr Diamond said these regulations need to be bought up to date.

“The regulator needs greater powers in order to hold rail operators fully accountable,” he said.

Inside massive train derailment clean-up

A freight train derailment at Inverleigh has been described as the worst the region has ever seen.

Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) executive Simon Ormsby said the damage was “significant.”

“I haven’t seen many (derailments) worse than this from a damage perspective,” he said.

ARTC said it could take until the end of next week for the 16 carriages to be cleared from the tracks and surrounding paddocks.

About 30 crew members from ARTC and contractors from SCT Logistics, who own the train, were on site on Tuesday, removing the huge pile of carriages with excavators and beginning works to repair the damaged tracks.

They will be working around the clock, with light towers being set up on site.

Excavators are being used to clear the derailed trains from the track. Picture: David Smith

“ARTC have started track work at the Melbourne end of the site that is clear of wagons,” Mr Ormsby said.

“STC will work with their contractors to clear away the damaged wagons ... and then we will be able to rectify the situation.

“We still have some of the train at the Adelaide end, which needs to be moved but that will be moved on eventually.”

Mr Ormsby said it was too early to tell how much the clean-up efforts would cost.

Following the incident Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) national secretary Mark Diamond said rail workers had lost confidence in the rail safety regimen, and an urgent review of the Rail Safety National Law was needed.

“Miraculously, there were no injuries to train crew,” he said.

“But (the) derailment could have been catastrophic if the train was carrying passengers, rather than freight.”

ARTC interstate network executive Simon Ormsby at the site of the train derailment. Picture: David Smith.

The train was on the route used by The Overland service that runs twice a week from both Melbourne and Adelaide.

SCT Logistics and Pacific National both use the route daily and Mr Ormsby said the companies would need to use road options to transport their freight.

“A lot of the freight that moves is actually Melbourne to Perth and Melbourne to Darwin,” he said.

“(Companies) may take their freight to Adelaide by truck and then run trains from Adelaide to Perth or Darwin.

The cause of the derailment remains unknown.

“The track is washed away in some parts, that’s all we known,” Mr Ormsby said.

We do ask the local community to stay clear of the worksite if they can.”

Investigation launched into trail derailment

The national transport safety authority has launched an investigation following a train derailment near Inverleigh on Monday.

Investigators are assessing the scene on Tuesday.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said investigators would begin collecting evidence from the crash.

“Investigators will survey the site and collect any relevant components for further examination and analysis,” he said.

“They will also obtain and review relevant data, weather information, witness reports and relevant train and track operator records.”

The freight train derailed about 5:30am on Monday morning on the Melbourne-Adelaide rail corridor, causing multiple carriages to pile up in a ditch.

The cause of the incident remains unknown.

MORE TO COME.

Originally published as Rail union said derailment has exposed train safety failings