QR repairs crash track for freight service resumption

<p>Queensland Rail (QR) is repairing the rails and trackside infrastructure damaged in this week’s tilt train derailment near Bundaberg to restore diesel services on the line by this afternoon (Thursday, November 18).</p> <p>A QR spokeswoman said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had returned the track to QR after completing its investigation at the site of the derailment on Monday evening (November 15).</p> <p>Diesel services, which includes most of the backlog of freight trains, should resume later this afternoon and electric services are expected to be back to normal on Saturday morning, she said.</p> <p>Both QR, the Queensland police and the ATSB are investigating the crash that injured more than 100 passengers when the Cairns tilt train derailed on Queensland’s main north line, about 50 km north of Bundaberg.</p> <p>Queensland-based investigators released a joint statement yesterday afternoon, highlighting speed as a factor in the accident.</p> <p>"Preliminary information obtained from the event recorder recovered from the tilt train yesterday [Tuesday&#93 at the accident scene north of Bundaberg indicates that at the time of the derailment, the train was travelling at approximately 112km&#47h," the statement said.</p> <p>"The designated speed limit at that section of the track is 60 km&#47h."</p> <p>However, none of the investigators, including the bureau, has reached any conclusions on the matter, the statement cautioned.</p> <p>QR’s tilt train is Australia’s fastest passenger service.</p> <p>However, it will soon be joined in pace by services on Victoria’s regional fast train project.</p> <p>The incident has revived Victorian concerns about adequate safety warning and driver vigilance systems being in place. </p> <br />