The Pacific National freight train 4MC2 was travelling north from Melbourne, Victoria to Griffith, New South Wales. The train consisted of 4 locomotives and 46 container wagons. At about 1740, the train was descending on a downgrade towards Barnawartha when it derailed.
V/Line passenger train 8630 was operating the 1720 Albury to Southern Cross service. The train was travelling south on the west line and was approaching Barnawartha when it impacted a derailed container wagon on the freight train, that was fouling the west line.
There were no injuries on either train and only minor damage to the trains and track.
This investigation is being led by the Office of the Chief Investigator Transport Safety Victoria (CITS). CITS conducts rail investigations in Victoria on behalf of the ATSB under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003.
The draft report internal review process has been completed. The draft report has been distributed to directly involved parties (DIPs) to check factual accuracy and ensure natural justice. Any submissions from those parties will be reviewed and, where considered appropriate, the draft report will be amended accordingly.
Following the external review process, any submissions and amendments to the draft report are internally reviewed. Once approved, the final report is prepared for publication and dissemination and released to DIPs prior to its public release.
The final report will be released at the end of the investigation. Should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify those affected and seek safety action to address the issue.