Vandalism at railway station threatens safety

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 640, 11 June 1996, Page 14

Vandalism at railway station threatens safety

Vandals' actions at the Junction railway station over the Queens Birthday weekend could have caused a major accident, when a metal rubbish tin liner was placed onto the track in the path of an on-coming train, which struck the rubbish tin and threw it to one side. Fortunately it didn't go under the train as it could have caused a derailment. Other acts of vandalism at the station around the same time included: □ Pipes over the urinal in the Gents toilets were wrenched off and cans and paper placed in the urinal eistern; □ The luggage trolley which sits on the platform was pulled off its chain, which is padlocked to the pillars, and carried over the

tracks onto the other side of the yard; □ The timetable cabinet which is also located on the platform had its glass broken; Main Trunk Rail Ohakune (MTRO) representatives remind people that there is an act of parliament, the Railway and Corridor Management Act 1 992, which covers not only Tranzrail but all railway operators, including industries, rail museums and tourist lines. They say Tranzrail now has a policy in place for people on railway property without a lawful excuse for which the penalties are severe. If found guilty they could be fined up to $20,000 or be sent to prison for six months for interfering with any part of a railway and its

property. The law says: "the public have no right on the railway corridor without lawful reason". The area is five metres either side of the track centre-line. If anybody is seen in these sort of situations they are asked to let train control and the police know what is happening so they can deal with the person should Tranzrail have problems with them. MTRO says the service tracks are put in alongside the tracks forTranzrail staff to service the track and as such, they are Tranzrails' private roads. If vehicles or people who should not be there are seen the train driver will call train control and report them, says MTRO, and the police will be called to investigate.