AN AURIZON intermodal train that derailed in floodwaters near Traveston, Queensland in early 2022 was a victim of an ineffective warning communication system, the Australian Transport Safety Board has found.
The containerised freight train Y279 was enroute from Acacia Ridge, Brisbane to Stuart Yard near Townsville on Queensland Rail’s North Coast Line on 23 February when it encountered a severe weather system.
QR’s environmental monitoring station at Traveston generated a critical flood alarm due to the water level overtopping the rails at the crosstrack drain. However, network control personnel were not alerted to the alarm, and although the driver slowed the train due to the prevailing local conditions he did not see the flooded track and washout in the darkness until too late.
Although the emergency brake was applied train Y29 derailed: the lead and trailing locomotives rolled and came to rest on their sides. Three wagons also derailed, with some of the containers becoming dislodged from the twist lock mounts. The driver sustained minor injuries during the derailment and rollover.
The ATSB’s investigation found that the Traveston environmental monitoring station had generated a critical flood alarm prior to the accident but the required warning was not directly displayed at the relevant workstation at the Rail Management Centre, and email and text message alerts had not been correctly configured, with key personnel details left empty.
The investigation found the QR alarm response procedure and automated messaging system used at the RMC were ineffective in providing network operations staff timely notification of alarms from the environmental monitoring stations in the Glass House Mountains to Gympie North control area.
In addition, personnel located at the Fault Coordination Centre did not follow up with network control when the critical flood alarm was not acknowledged, because roles were not clearly defined, and the Fault Coordination personnel often dealt with multiple alarms at a time.
The investigation identified the operator’s training program did not ensure personnel at the RMC proactively monitored an adverse weather event or responded to reports and other information of a condition that could present a hazard to train movements. Subsequently, the network operations personnel relied on the clearance of a signal to determine the integrity of the track through a known flood-prone area.
“In response to this accident and the ATSB investigation, the network operator has taken action aimed to improve alarm notification systems, training programs, equipment serviceability protocols, and operational procedures to manage adverse weather events,” ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said.
The investigation also found that both the emergency exit pathway used by the driver to exit the overturned locomotive, and the emergency equipment available in the enclosed Aurizon 2800 class locomotives, were inadequate to enable a prompt escape by crew, and potentially limited access by emergency services in the event of a locomotive overturning.
In response, Aurizon has developed an access and egress compliance strategy to align its locomotive fleet to the relevant national rail standard, and is taking part in a development group reviewing the standard.
“This accident highlights the importance of having serviceable environmental monitoring station equipment, and for network operations personnel to be promptly and reliably alerted to any hazardous condition detected by the system,” Mr Mitchell said.
“It also highlights the importance of equipping locomotive rollingstock with systems to mitigate evacuation hazards that rail traffic crew may encounter following the derailment and rollover of a locomotive. This is particularly so when operating driver-only and in remote locations where assistance may not be readily available.”
Read the final report here.