RAIL-CAR RUNS AWAY

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 12

RAIL-CAR RUNS AWAY

Engine Failure In Otira Tunnel

One hundred and twenty passengers on a railcar from Greymouth to Christchurch had a remarkable escape from serious injury last evening when the rail-car, running away backwards out of the Otira tunnel, was switched to a siding at Otira and was derailed without capsizing.

The rail-car, an old-fashioned Vulcan doubleunit, was almost to the top of the hill half way through the tunnel when its engines and brakes failed.

It ran backwards gathering speed. The shift clerk in charge of the Otira station, Mr Kevin O’Keefe, saw the section lights appear on his diagram of the track and, realising the situation, switched the points to divert the rail-car to a run-laway siding provided for that purpose. Passengers estimated the speed of the rail-car as it ran back through the tunnel at more than 60 miles an hour.but the district traffic manager (Mr E, W. Hayton) said that the train could

not have been diverted successfully at that speed. He said it could not have been travelling more than 30 miles an hour when it reached the Otira station. Only one passenger suffered injuries needing medical attention. The district nurse at'-Otira treated a girl for minor lacerations. Another passenger was treated for shock.

The rail-car ploughed through the big earth stop-bank at the end of the diversion siding and dropped about 40 feet down a sloping shingle and scrub bank on to a road leading to the Otira township. The passenger injured is Miss Beatrice McFarlane, of Opawa. She suffered a cut above her eyebrow and lacerations to her forehead.

Station staff, off-duty Railwaymen and their wives quickly assisted those passengers who were unable to leave the rail-car by themselves.

The forward section of the double unit was left touching the roadway and the rear portion remained on the rails.

The grade in the tunnel is 1 in 33 and the rail-car was running cut of control for about two miles and a half before it reached the runaway siding. Mr Hayton praised the Otira shift clerk for his prompt action. “The railways’ safety precautions averted what might have been a serious accident,” he said. The passengers remained calm throughout, according to the driver of the rail-car. They were taken to the Otira station, where the refreshment rooms were opened and they were provided with food. Similar arrangements were made at the Springfield station when they continued their journey in rail-cars brought from Greymouth.

The accident occurred 'about 9.50 p.m. and the passengers, who were due in Christchurch at 11.5. were delayed by about four hours and a half.