TasRail confirms that a south bound freight train derailed on Sunday 9 November near Colebrook (between KPS65 and KPS64.75).
The Train Driver sustained only a very minor injury. She was treated at the Brighton Medical Centre and was cleared for work.
The train consisted of a total of two locomotives and 16 intermodal wagons. The two locomotives and 11 of the wagons derailed. Five other wagons did not derail. The train was 274.4 metres in length.
TasRail immediately initiated its incident management procedure and, as is required, notified the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator of the derailment.
The ATSB has control of the derailment site and it will not be released back to TasRail until such time as the ATSB completes its initial investigation. In the meantime, the Brighton to Western Junction line is closed and TasRail is working with its customers to minimise any disruption to services.
TasRail Chief Executive Officer Damien White said it is too early to speculate on the cause of the derailment, or to estimate the damage. He revealed that TasRail had this morning engaged an independent safety expert to conduct an internal investigation of the incident and said the Company was working with its customers to assess the condition of freight inside the derailed containers.
Mr White confirmed that one of the derailed wagons was carrying Dangerous Goods, but said the situation had been quickly contained by the Tasmanian Fire Service (Hazardous Materials crew).
Today’s derailment is the first reported this financial year.
TasRail reported a total of three mainline derailments for the 2013/14 financial year.
