Diesel multiple unit passenger Train 3347, driveshaft failure, Meadowbank, 27 June 2003
      
  Status
              Closed
          Occurrence Date
              Report Publication Date
              Jurisdiction
              NZ
          Legacy Inquiry Number
              03-109
          On Friday 27 June 2003, Tranz Metro Train 3347 was an Auckland to Papakura diesel multiple unit passenger train.  At about 0915, a driveshaft on passenger car ADL 810 failed as the train approached Purewa Tunnel, between Meadowbank and Glen Innes stations.  The DMU driver stopped the train about 200 m short of the tunnel.
The free end of the failed driveshaft was not sufficiently restrained and it punctured the floor of the passenger compartment.
The 3 passengers travelling in ADL 810 were not injured.
The safety issues identified included:
ò recording and tracking of the maintenance and service history of individual DMU driveshafts
ò installation and maintenance standards for driveshafts
ò inspection procedures and criteria for acceptance or rejection of individual driveshafts
ò design of the safety stirrup to contain the driveshaft in the event of a failure.
Four safety recommendations were made to the Chief Executive of Toll NZ Consolidated Limited to address these issues.
      The free end of the failed driveshaft was not sufficiently restrained and it punctured the floor of the passenger compartment.
The 3 passengers travelling in ADL 810 were not injured.
The safety issues identified included:
ò recording and tracking of the maintenance and service history of individual DMU driveshafts
ò installation and maintenance standards for driveshafts
ò inspection procedures and criteria for acceptance or rejection of individual driveshafts
ò design of the safety stirrup to contain the driveshaft in the event of a failure.
Four safety recommendations were made to the Chief Executive of Toll NZ Consolidated Limited to address these issues.
Location
              Meadowbank (-36.868086,174.840288) [may be approximate]