Hines Hill train collision facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hines Hill train collision |
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|---|---|
| Details | |
| Date | 14 January 1996 |
| Location | Hines Hill, Western Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Operator | National Rail Corporation |
| Incident type | Collision |
| Cause | Signal passed at danger |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Deaths | 2 |
The Hines Hill train collision was a serious accident that happened on 14 January 1996. It took place on the Eastern Goldfields Railway near Hines Hill, Western Australia. In this event, two trains ended up on the same track at the same time. This happened even though the signals were showing red, telling one train to stop.
Contents
What Happened at Hines Hill?
This train accident involved two large freight trains. One was a National Rail Corporation train, called 5SP5. It was traveling from Sydney to Perth. The other was a Westrail train, named 7025. It was going from Perth to Kalgoorlie.
The Collision
The National Rail train was supposed to stop at a red signal. But it went past the signal without stopping. It then crashed into the last few wagons of the Westrail train. These wagons were carrying diesel. When they crashed, the diesel burst into flames. The fire was so intense that it destroyed the train's data recorders. These recorders could have shown how fast the train was going.
The Impact of the Accident
The accident had very sad results. The driver of the National Rail train and a teenage passenger died. Another person was seriously hurt. Two of the National Rail locomotives, AN10 and DL37, were so badly damaged they could not be used again. A nearby building that controlled signals was also destroyed by the fire.
One reason for the accident might have been the dark. It happened at night, and there were no special signs. These signs, called distance boards, would have helped the driver see how far away the stop signal was.
What Happened After the Accident?
After the collision, changes were made to the railway. The signalling system was updated. This was done to make sure that trains could not enter the same section of track at the same time again.
Making Tracks Safer
The accident showed a problem with how long some train tracks were. A "passing loop" is a section of track where one train can wait while another passes. If these loops are too short, there isn't enough safe space. If the loop had been longer, the train that was supposed to stop would have had more room. This extra distance could have prevented the collision.
The passing loop at Hines Hill has since been made much longer. It is now 2,304 meters long. This is much longer than most trains, which are usually around 1,800 meters. The extra length adds a safety margin. It also allows trains to enter the loop at a higher speed while still being safe.
