The Office of the Transport Safety Investigator will investigate how a communication breakdown led to a dangerous incident between a passenger train and the crew of another train between Sydney and Wollongong.
The incident occurred just after 4am on August 21, on the railway between Helensburgh and Waterfall.
A freight train had stopped on the Up rail line towards Helensburgh. Thinking the Down rail line had also had blocking facilities applied, the crew of the freight train were using that line to work on the train.
However, a passenger train entered into the section of railway coming in the opposite direction, on the Down line.
Fortunately, the driver of the freight train saw the passenger train and managed to direct it to stop using the freight train’s red lights. The freight train driver then got his crew to clear the Down rail line, and told the Waterfall Signaller the passenger service could proceed through the section.
“At this time, the Waterfall Signaller clarified he had placed blocking facilities on the Up rail line only, while the train driver of [the freight train] said he needed blocking on both lines as they needed to walk along the down rail line while releasing hand brakes,” the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said in a preliminary summary.
“Preliminary review of the radio communications between the train driver of 4WM2 and the Waterfall Signaller indicates there was a lack of clear instructions as to why the blocks were required and there were no assurances repeated back by either party.”
The Office of Transport Safety Investigator (OTSI) will lead the ongoing investigation, as it does in NSW on behalf of the ATSB under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.
A final report is expected in the fourth quarter of 2019. If any critical safety issues are identified during the investigation those affected will be notified immediately, the ATSB said.