Causes of The Accident
Tangara trains have a number of safety and vigilance devices installed, such as a deadman's brake, to address problems when the driver becomes incapacitated. If the driver releases pressure from this brake, the train will come to a halt.
CityRail rolling stock are often divided into sets of four carriages: two driver and two driven (trailer) carriages. Four-car services consist of one set of four, six-car services consist of a set of four driven and two driver carriages and eight-car services are two sets of four carriages.
The G-set in question, numbered G7, was a four-car Tangara set fitted with an AC drive system for evaluation purposes. A driver was in the forward driver carriage and a guard was in the rear driver carriage. On this service, the guard, who could have applied the emergency brake, and the deadman's brake were the main safety mechanisms in place.
The train was later found to be travelling in excess of 117 km/h (73 mph) as it approached the 60 km/h (37 mph) curve where the accident occurred. Neither the deadman's brake nor the guard had intervened in this situation, and this excessive speed was found to be the direct cause of the accident. Training of train staff was also found to be a contributing factor in the accident.
G7 was scrapped in 2005 due to the damage sustained in the accident; all four cars were damaged beyond repair.
These were the official findings of the NSW Ministry of Transport investigation of the accident. A report of the accident, managed by Commissioner Peter McInerney, was released in January 2004.
Read more about this topic: Waterfall Rail Accident
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