 New fail safe device for Sydney rail network (Sydney)
"Chriz" <chrizizhereALL_YOUR_HARDWARE@m> wrote in message
news:443cee0c$0$53233$c30e37c6@ken-reader.news.telstra.net...
> Once upon a time Chris decided to write:> That accident must not be as
> highly publicised anymore because I've never heard of it before. Is there
> any information about that on the net?
Mitch...
An early morning, peak hour Blue Mountains commuter train from Mt
Victoria, travelling into Sydney, crashed after derailing on an approach
curve to Granville Station. It careered along for 46 metres before striking
the supports of the Bold Street Bridge over the rail line, demolishing all 8
steel stanchions and coming to rest 67 metres from the derailment, with
carriage one, behind it, also derailed and split open from hitting a pole.
Eight died and 34 were injured in this carriage.
Carriage two also derailed and passed to the north of carriage one,
coming to a halt hard up against the concrete retaining wall lining the
track. It was relatively unscathed and there were no fatalities in this
carriage.
Carriages three and four were not so lucky. The four lane concrete
bridge with a weight of 570 tonnes, collapsed onto them, squashing them
almost flat and trapping the passengers. 44 of carriage two's 77 passengers
died, along with 31 of carriage three's complement of 64.
The other carriages were strung crookedly on the opposite/or western
side). The massive response by police, civil & emergency services was
complicated by the dangerous environment rescuers were working in. At the
end of the third carriage the concrete slab threatened to slump lower at any
moment. At the other, tonnes of loose bricks teetered on the flimsy roof.
The rescuers worked with frantic care. Any slip could be fatal. At one
point of the operation rescuers could smell gas. It came from ruptured
bottles of LPG used to run the carriage heaters. With the threat of gas
leaking over the site, a further major disaster was averted when an
unwitting attempt to start a small chainsaw inside a carriage was
immediately stopped. The chainsaw was taken outside the carriage & started,
first pull. If the chainsaw had started inside the ignition of gas would
have added considerably to the dead & injured toll.
There were 83 deaths & 213 injuries, 83 were serious. Rescuers
performed extraordinary feats of bravery to stay with some of the injured in
some areas of the wrecked carriages considered too dangerous. The last body
was not removed until 31 hours after the accident. An inquiry exonerated the
train's driver & fireman, finding the accident was caused by poorly
maintained tracks.
| 
