Kimberley - The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has confirmed that speeding on a temporarily speed restricted section was the cause of the derailment of a Shosholoza Meyl long-distance train at Modderrivier outside Kimberley.
This was the finding according to the preliminary investigation report by the RSR.
The train was travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town when it derailed at about 11.20pm on August 18.
Sixty passengers, the train driver and the technician were injured during the incident.
According to the report, it appears as if Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) failed to communicate with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) about a newly-introduced temporary speed restriction.
“The derailment occurred on a cross over point while the train was moving from the mainline to the new constructed line. On the day of the incident the permanent way team constructed the joggle joints from the mainline to the new line to divert the traffic. It is reported a speed restriction of 30km/h was introduced at approximately 6.25pm that day.
“According to the information the train driver was travelling at a speed of 81km/h which was retrieved from the Centralised Traffic Control (CTC).
“TFR failed to communicate the implemented speed restriction with Prasa... no evidence could be established that the train control officer (TCO) communicated the speed restriction with the train driver,” the report stated.
The report also stated that the driver failed to observe the warning sign.
“The section manger did not communicate with the train driver about the speed restriction during the safety talk due to the unavailability of information from TFR.”
It further stated that substantial damage was caused during the incident and formed part of the investigation.
“Damage was recorded to 300 metres of rail and sleepers, four mast poles, one locomotive and eleven coaches. The locomotive and four coaches fell over while seven coaches derailed but remained in the upright position. The last four coaches and the guard van did not derail.”
The RSR said the investigation consisted of visits to the site to gather evidence, analysis of the site and interviews with the relevant witnesses on site.The RSR said it will now conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to the derailment.
“The inquiry will, amongst other things, scrutinise the adequacy and effectiveness of procedures, training and personal knowledge of the relevant procedures as well as background regarding activities pertaining to the adherence to, specifically applicable train operating rules by the train drivers concerned as set out in local instructions. The adequacy and effectiveness of maintenance systems and procedures for signals, radio communication network, permanent way and rolling stock will also be looked at,” the RSR report stated.
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