Wongm's Rail Gallery » Accidents

Accidents

Accidents, derailments, clueless passengers, and broken bits and pieces from all over the place.

8114 derailed at South Dynon, August 2012

Wednesday 22 August 2012

On August 22, 2012 Pacific National locomotive 8114 derailed outside the Melbourne Operations Terminal at South Dynon. Only a short distance off the rails, it was moved back onto the tracks with the use of timber blocks.

Abbotts Road level crossing crash

Saturday 14 September 2013

On the morning of 3 November 2012 a Comeng suburban train collided with a semi-trailer truck at the Abbotts Road level crossing in Dandenong. The collision resulted in one train passenger fatality, injury to five other passengers and the critical injury of the train driver. Leading carriages 306M, 1003T and 305M were scrapped, with cars 589M, 1022T, and 583M damaged beyond repair.

Accident damaged SW6.866, May 2017

Wednesday 24 May 2017

On 24 May 2017 a truck collided with tram SW6.866 at the corner of Flinders and Spencer Street.

Adelaide's O-Bahn Busway recovery truck

Thursday 1 December 2011

With the O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide they need a special double ended tow truck to rescue buses stranded on the concrete guideway. It also seems to be used to move normal buses.

Armaguard delaying trams in the Bourke Street Mall

Monday 8 April 2019

An Armaguard crew drove into the Bourke Street Mall then had their armoured van break down. Eventually a massive tilt tray truck arrived, delaying trams for five minutes while it was lifted onto the back.

Blackout at Newmarket railway station, September 2013

Thursday 26 September 2013

On September 26, 2013 a tree took out the mains power supply to Newmarket station, plunging the platforms into darkness, but not affecting traction power to trains or signalling systems.

Body bag at Williamstown Beach, February 2012

Wednesday 15 February 2012

A person died at Williamstown Beach platform 2 on February 15, 2012 sometime before 4pm. The body bag stayed on the platform for at least 30 minutes: trains towards Williamstown ran express through platform 2, but passengers for the city could still wait for trains on the opposite platform, looking over to the body bag.

Broken articulation on D2.5015

Friday 18 March 2022

On 18 March 2022 the articulation between modules of tram D2.5015 failed, leaving the cab dropped onto the tracks.

Car crash and tram delays on Maribyrnong Road, December 2012

Friday 30 November 2012

One downside of trams sharing road space with cars: when dimwit motorists get caught up in a three car pileup on a road with trams, everybody else gets held up.

Cars in bus lanes

Some idiot drivers think they're a bus too.

Collins Street power failure, January 2013

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Power went out in the section due to a truck taking out the overhead at Collins and King Street, with recovery vehicle R10 needing to rescue the stranded trams

Connex - Damaged pantograph and overhead, April 2009

Saturday 25 April 2009

Comeng 532M-T-531M + 542M-T-M (the prototype seating set) became dewired from the overhead on the up side of South Kensington, destroying all 4 pantographs and pulling down a fair chunk of overhead. Passengers from the rear set had to be detrained via the tracks. An N class later picked up the damaged train.

CountryLink XPT derailment, July 2014

Monday 1 May 2017

On the morning of July 11, 2014 the Sydney-bound XPT derailed just outside Southern Cross Station, where the dual gauge tracks over the North Melbourne flyover split into separate standard and broad gauge tracks. The newly rebuilt tracks has just opened for service that morning.

Craigieburn collision, May 2010

Wednesday 5 May 2010

Down Craigieburn service with 570M-T-M + 309M-T-M ran up the back of the down empty Apex train which was stopped at a signal outside Craigieburn station. 570M-T-M received most of the damage and needed to be cut apart; 309M-T-M was shunted off by T402 and taken to Broadmeadows as a complete train.

Crashes, derailments and dimwits

Miscellaneous accidents from around the place: derailments, clueless passengers, and broken bits and pieces.

Crumbling station building at Newmarket

Sunday 27 March 2022

A look at the crumbling citybound station building at Newmarket station on the Craigieburn line, where everything is falling apart. The cantilevered platform verandah was reinforced with acrow props in 2012 and demolished in 2013. As for the piers holding everything up, even bigger acrow props have been installed to counteract the failing concrete piers and beams.

Damaged level crossing at Brooklyn

Monday 13 February 2023

Clueless truck drivers have a history of destroying the level crossing lights located at the corner of Somerville and McDonald Road in Brooklyn.

Derailed oil tanker at Tottenham Yard, July 2010

Friday 9 July 2010

In July 2010 vandals released the hand brake of an oil tank wagon stored at Tottenham Yard, causing it to roll towards the city, until it derailed as expected on the derail block at the end of the siding.

Derailed tram at Spencer and Flinders Street, March 2019

Thursday 28 March 2019

On 28 March 2019 tram E2.6059 went to turn from Spencer into Flinders Street with a MCG bound football special service, when the first bogie of the middle section came off the tracks.

Derailed tram on Elizabeth Street, May 2013

Saturday 18 May 2013

On May 18, 2013 tram works were underway on Elizabeth Street in the Melbourne CBD, with a temporary crossover in used just north of La Trobe Street. Z3.229 was headed south over the crossover when the trailing bogie derailed, leaving the tram skewed across the tracks. Once the tram was rerailed the crossover stayed out of use for the rest of the day, while the bolts holding it down were adjusted.

Dudley Street H set collision, May 2006

Monday 19 June 2006

In May 20006 VSH22 and FSH21 were involved in a shunting accident at the Dudley Street carriage yards. BCH122 was pushed into BCH121. The first pics are from about 10pm (the incident happened some time before then) and then the rest are later on at 1pm after the re-railing was complete. The final photos are after the collision repairs.

El Zorro derailment, March 2010

Tuesday 9 March 2010

A down El Zorro grain derailed at West Footscray Junction, with T320 and S303 coming off the rails (third and fourth units), along with 12 wagons.

Evacuating a failed V/Line train at Albion, November 2015

Thursday 26 November 2015

On November 26, 2015 a down Bendigo train failed outside Albion station, blocking the Sunbury line for hours. Eventually the V/Line train was limped into the platform at Albion, allowing passenger to wait for buses, with the suburban train behind being eventually evacuated as well

Evacuating Metrol, June 2015

Thursday 18 June 2015

On 18 June 2015 the Metrol train control centre was evacuated due to a false fire alarm, which resulted in every train in Melbourne having to stop for 15 minutes until train controllers could return.

Fender bender on Elizabeth Street, July 2019

Friday 26 July 2019

On 26 July 2019 a delivery van tried to turn from Elizabeth Street into Little Collins Street, and was cleaned up by tram B2.2034 headed south on route 59

Fire damaged Sprinter 7012, December 2016

Saturday 8 April 2017

On December 2, 2016 Sprinter 7012 caught fire at Seymour station, with a fault in the electrical cabinet believed to be the cause. The damaged train was transferred to Melbourne the next day.

Flagstaff station police operation, May 2019

Thursday 28 March 2019

On 28 March 2019 someone onboard a train mistook a busker with a didgeridoo for someone with a rifle, sparking a full blown police response that shut down the entire City Loop for morning peak.

Flipped truck under the Flinders Street Viaduct, February 2016

Monday 1 February 2016

On 1 February 2016 an overheight truck attempted to pass under the Flinders Street Viaduct at Spencer Street but failed, ending up sideways.

Flooded platform at Ascot Vale

Tuesday 11 March 2014

First it leaked, and then it burst - that's what happened to a water main beneath the platform at Ascot Vale station.

Flooded tram tracks on St Kilda Road, December 2018

Friday 14 December 2018

In December 2018 flash flooding hit Melbourne, flooding the tram tracks on St Kilda Road and delaying services.

Galvin train crash, August 2014

Tuesday 18 November 2014

On August 22 2014 an empty VLocity train (VL05-12-39, 7 cars) ran into the rear of a Metro Trains service between Galvin and Paisley on the Werribee line.

Keep clear of the tram tracks, October 2012

Thursday 25 October 2012

Where trams turn corners, there are yellow lines painted along the road so that cars know to keep clear. This bloke at the corner of Victoria and Errol Streets in North Melbourne didn't pay attention to them, which resulted in Z3.205 ripping off the rear quarter panel off his van.

Level crossing accidents at North Shore, Geelong

Tuesday 29 October 2019

I’m not sure what is in the water down in Geelong, but the boom gates at the North Shore Road / Station Street level crossing next to North Shore station seem to spend more time under cars than stopping them.

Motorists delaying trams

Friday 15 March 2024

Wherever you go in Melbourne you are certain to find some moron who doesn't know how to drive, either queuing through an intersection or overhanging a tram lane, resulting in delays to dozens of tram passengers.

Napier Street railway bridge strike, March 2024

Sunday 3 March 2024

The railway bridge that carries the Williamstown and Werribee lines over Napier Street has a long history of being struck by high vehicles - 3 March 2024 was yet another example.

Napier Street railway bridge strike, October 2015

Thursday 1 October 2015

The railway bridge that carries the Williamstown and Werribee lines over Napier Street has a long history of being struck by high vehicles - October 1st 2015 was yet another example.

Pacific National Bethungra derailment 2022

Friday 30 September 2022

On 15 January 2022 Pacific National freight train 6MB4 derailed while traversing the Bethungra Spiral northbound, with container wagons RRAY 7213S, RRQY 8515T and QQCY 1120F damaged along with a number of loaded containers.

Pacific National derailment at McIntyre, August 2022

Thursday 18 August 2022

On the morning of Thursday 18 August 2022 a Pacific National standard gauge grain train arriving into #3 road at McIntyre Loop had the tracks split apart beneath the wagons at the rear, leaving their bogies in the dirt. The remaining wagons were shunted clear to clear the tracks, leaving the derailed wagons to be recovered later.

Peel Street tram dewirement, January 2020

Friday 10 January 2020

On 10 January 2020 a truck took out the tramway overhead on route 58 at Queen Victoria Market, resulting in the route 57 and 58 trams being diverted, and the closure of William, Peel and Dudley Streets.

Qube derailment, December 2017

Saturday 23 December 2017

On December 23, 2017 Qube's 6CM7 Harefield to Melbourne service came to a halt at McIntyre Loop, supposedly due to a broken rail. Lead locomotive QBX001 had to be rerailed, and was then taken off the train and stabled at the G&V wagon maintenance yard, while L277 arrived light engine to assist remaining locomotive QBX004 to bring the train into Melbourne.

Rescuing a failed D2 class tram, October 2013

Monday 7 October 2013

On 7 October 2013 D2.2009 failed somewhere on route 96, so classmate D2.5020 was sent out on a rescue mission to drag the tram home to Southbank Depot.

Rescuing a failed D2 class tram, September 2012

Sunday 25 September 2011

On September 24, 2011 D2.5002 damaged it's pantograph at Showgrounds Loop, with D2.5017 being sent out to rescue it. After the pantograph couldn't be tied down low enough, the mechanics cut it off with an angle grinder.

Rescuing a failed W class tram, July 2015

Sunday 26 July 2015

On July 26 tram W6.983 failed while running a City Circle service, and had to be rescued by classmate SW6.961

Rescuing a failed Z3 class tram, October 2013

Monday 21 October 2013

On 21 October 2013 Z3.212 failed somewhere, so classmate Z3.126 was sent out on a rescue mission to drag the tram home to Essendon Depot.

Rock throwing media conference, October 2007

Tuesday 16 October 2007

On 16 October 2007 Connex Melbourne and V/Line management held a media conference at Flinders Street Station to address the spate of rock throwing indicdents endangering their trains.

SCT Bomen derailment 2021

Thursday 29 September 2022

On 15 April 2021 northbound SCT service MB9 derailed at Bomen, putting locomotives SCT005 and SCT013 into the dirt. Accident damaged container wagon PQKY 7012V and louvred vans ABSY 4447K and ABSY 4488F were removed from the site, and dumped nearby at Bomen.

SCT derailment at Lara, November 2007

Friday 2 November 2007

On 2 November 2007 the SCT train suffered a minor derailment between Corio and Lara, with the bogie at one end of a ABFX louvered van needing to be jacked up.

Siemens train door failure, July 2012

Tuesday 17 July 2012

On 17 July 2012 the doors of Siemens train 794M failed while running a down Craigieburn service at Newmarket station. As a result the entire train load passengers had to be turfed off the train.

Siemens train recovery, 2019

Tuesday 14 May 2019

On May 13, 2019 Siemens train 743M-2522T-744M + 766M-2533T-765M on a down Werribee service encountered damaged overhead wiring outside Laverton, resulting in the train being disabled. The next day N470 and N466 were sent to assist with the recovery of the train to the Newport Workshops, with chains and transition couplers used to join them together. Siemens trains lack a continuous brake pipe through each 3-car set, so a locomotive was needed at each end of the train to allow the consist to move.

Siemens train recovery, 2023

Tuesday 1 August 2023

On Monday 31 July 2023 a Powercor 22kV power line fell across the railway line at Laverton, causing a power surge on the 1500V DC traction power supply, bringing down the overhead, and cooking two Siemens trains. The next day N456 was out sent to assist, recovering the stranded Siemens trains as individual 3-car sets.

Viewed 3331 times (4 times this week, 42 times this month, 248 times this year)