Runaway rail wagons left on slope with brakes off

Nine runaway rail wagons which smashed into a light utility vehicle, seriously injuring the driver, had been left with their brakes off on a gradient.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission yesterday issued the report of its investigation into the accident, which happened in Wairarapa about 5.25am on July 29 last year.

The empty freight wagons had been uncoupled from their locomotives during a shunting operation at Waingawa, at the south of Masterton, then "ran away" towards Featherston. They had travelled almost 12km with no rail operating staff on board when the collision happened at the Hodders Rd level crossing, just north of Carterton.

The impact of the collision ripped the two doors from the driver's side of the vehicle and wrapped them around the corner of the wagon.

The driver, who was the sole occupant of the ute, had to be cut from the wreckage by the fire service.

The wagons then continued for almost 3km.

The report said both the locomotive engineers involved in the incident were appropriately certified and trained to handle shunting operations.

"There were no defects in the wagons that would have prevented either air brakes or handbrakes being applied," the report said. "If followed, the rules and documented procedures for the securing of unattended wagons would have prevented the wagons running away."

The report said there was little chance of the vehicle driver seeing the wagons before he entered the crossing.

Toll Rail has accepted a number of recommendations from the commission and expects them to be implemented by September 30.

- NZPA