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MEDIA STATEMENT 2 – RAWLINNA-NARETHA DERAILMENT
Repair works to return East-West rail services through the Nullarbor have progressed well and a return to operations on Thursday (WST) remains on target, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) said this afternoon.
Thirty-nine wagons derailed from an intermodal freight train between Rawlinna and Naretha (WA) at around 2.50pm WST time, Friday afternoon (4 December).
There were no injuries reported and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has commenced investigation of the incident.
Repair and recovery work delivered so far has included:
- New access road constructed
- Earthworks and surveying for the track deviation has been completed
- Earthworks to create workspace for unloading approximately 600 tonnes of heavy rail materials (rail, ballast, sleepers) constructed
- Crane pad constructed (to assist in removing the wagons)
- Spot repairs to mainline track damage (outside of the track deviation) is nearly complete
- Work trains carrying sleepers, ballast and rail will arrive through today and tomorrow
- Sleepers along the deviation will be laid out along the newly constructed track foundation today
- Work to connect the track deviation to the existing mainline has commenced.
We remain on target to return operations by Thursday evening (WST) and this timeframe will be reviewed daily.
We would also like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during this incident recovery – we appreciate this has occurred at a very busy time of year and are working hard to return operations as early, smoothly and safely as possible.
ENDS
Media Contact: Bas Bolyn, ARTC, 0477 340 658
Notes to media:
1. Naretha was incorrectly spelt in the previous media update provided ARTC. We apologise for the error.
2. The incident site is approximately 350km east of Kalgoorlie, WA