A train spotter had to tell the crew of a Port Kembla-bound coal train crew that one of its wagons had derailed, an Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation found.
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The incident occurred on June 28, 2019, when a fully loaded 45-wagon Pacific National coal train was travelling from the Tahmoor colliery to Port Kembla.
Near Moss Vale, one of the axles on the 14th wagon left the tracks but the train continued on, dragging the broken axle.
The train spotter was at a level crossing filming the coal train as it passed, when he heard a screeching noise and saw sparks flying out from under the wagon.
He called the control centre to alert them, who in turn contacted the train crew to stop and check it out.
"The derailed wheelset had travelled approximately 2.6 kilometres past the point of derailment," the report stated.
"This caused damage to the track infrastructure, including approximately 4350 concrete sleepers."
The safety bureau found the accident was caused by the fracturing of the wagon's axle.
"A metallurgical analysis conducted after the derailment found that the axle had corrosion pitting on the axle surface adjacent to the likely fracture initiation point," the report stated.
"The fracture surface featured a discoloured area of corrosion, which extended 16 millimetres into the axle cross-section.
"This was evidence of a crack which existed prior to the final complete brittle failure of the remaining axle section."
The report also noted that appropriate testing of the axle had not been carried out during the last two maintenance periods. If it had, then the axle crack "would likely" have been detected.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
