Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
KiwiRail
Text
The near collision occurred at a convergence of several busy metro passenger lines and there was no automatic protection applied to preventing such a collision in the event of a driver failing to stop at Signal 38.
Equivalent signals protecting other lines into Wellington station have been fitted with signal trips that automatically apply a train's brakes in the event of it overrunning the signal. A signal trip fitted to Signal 38 would have automatically applied the passenger train brakes in this case.
On 23 October 2013, the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of KiwiRail install some form of protection that will automatically stop a train that has overrun Signal 38 in the Wellington Station area, and that he reviews other signalling arrangements in busy, high risk metro passenger areas to ensure the same arrangements are in place to minimise the risk of train collisions for the same or similar reasons.
Equivalent signals protecting other lines into Wellington station have been fitted with signal trips that automatically apply a train's brakes in the event of it overrunning the signal. A signal trip fitted to Signal 38 would have automatically applied the passenger train brakes in this case.
On 23 October 2013, the Commission recommended that the Chief Executive of KiwiRail install some form of protection that will automatically stop a train that has overrun Signal 38 in the Wellington Station area, and that he reviews other signalling arrangements in busy, high risk metro passenger areas to ensure the same arrangements are in place to minimise the risk of train collisions for the same or similar reasons.
Reply Text
A program to install a Signal trip at 38 Signal has been agreed. Design is programmed for completion by end of January 2014, and final commissioning by end of March 2014. Concurrently the Signals Engineering team will be undertaking a qualitative risk review of signalling arrangements in the Wellington Metro area. This will also be expected to be completed by end of March 2014.
Related Investigation(s)