Glenbrook Rail Accident - Overview

Overview

Prior to the accident, the Indian Pacific passed a failed red signal at Glenbrook platform and came to a stand at a second failed red signal. The driver of the train alighted to use the lineside signal telephone to call the Area Train Controller for authority to pass the signal at danger, however as there was no dial tone the driver incorrectly believed the phone to be out of service. A delay of approximately seven minutes resulted despite the fact the locomotive was equipped with a radio (at that time it was not procedure for the privately owned National Rail Corporation to use onboard radios to contact train control).

In the accident, an interurban passenger train restarted with authority after stopping at the still failed red signal at Glenbrook platform and collided shortly after with the rear of the Indian Pacific long distance passenger train still waiting at a failed red signal in the following block. A number of factors were involved, from equipment breakdown to poor phrasing of the safeworking rules. The most important factor was that the interurban picked up too much speed after restarting from the signal at stop, and was not able to see the rear of the Indian Pacific around a sharply curved and deep cutting in order to stop in time to avoid the collision.