Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
Tranz Rail
Text
Take immediate steps to institute an inspection/protection regime at the south abutment of Bridge 57 over the Rangitata River which:
• recognises the current lack of designed engineering works to protect against relatively low return period floods;
• recognises the vulnerability of the protective work and the rail embankment to both full flow and falling river levels;
• is linked to the river flow gauge at the Rangitata Gorge to give advance warnings;
requires either:
– patrols immediately ahead of all trains during and immediately following defined river flows; or
– a sufficiently low speed restriction to assist LE’s to stop clear of visible hazards; or
– the piloting of all trains during, and immediately following, defined river flows; or
– a combination of the above.
• recognises the current lack of designed engineering works to protect against relatively low return period floods;
• recognises the vulnerability of the protective work and the rail embankment to both full flow and falling river levels;
• is linked to the river flow gauge at the Rangitata Gorge to give advance warnings;
requires either:
– patrols immediately ahead of all trains during and immediately following defined river flows; or
– a sufficiently low speed restriction to assist LE’s to stop clear of visible hazards; or
– the piloting of all trains during, and immediately following, defined river flows; or
– a combination of the above.
Reply Text
Thank you for your letter dated 8 May 2002. Tranz Rail accept safety recommendation 017/02. As advised in our letter dated 28 March 2002, we have implemented a new inspection and speed restriction regime for adverse weather conditions.
Related Investigation(s)