RUNAWAY TRAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1920, Page 11 (Supplement)

RUNAWAY TRAIN.

WEST AUSTRALIA TRAGEDY. ENGINE-DRIVER'S STORY. Sydney. Nov. IG. of the shocking accident which occurred last week in \Ve*t Australia, when a heavy timber train crashed over an embankment and eleven of the men who were riding on the logs were killed, was given on Saturday by the engine-driver, who was not seriously injured._ "Just before we started from the camp, after dark, the guard came along and said that he had six breaks clown'. I remarked to him that everything seemed to be all right, but it \vjoulcl be as well for him to stand by and put on more brakes should I whistle. Everything went well until we were perhaps , mile and three-quarters from the camp, and then J found on the incline that the load was beginning to push' nip, and ] blew the whistle" for the brakes. This was about half a mile beiore the spur where, before going over on to the steep grade, we always pull up and put down all the brakes* ''On this occasion, the train would.'tiot slow up sufficiently to allow the glfard to get out and put on the brakes. Then, while I was still trying to pull up. we passed the spot whe'r, ally stop. I said: 'Good : (. !n ,i, she's pushed us over the knob.' The' train had gathered speed twofold Mien and some of those who knew something was amiss, jumped ofl'. I deciiTod to stick to the engine in the hope that the guard could get the brakes down. We rattled along for a time, and 1 had the lever against the engine in the. hope that that would act as an additional brake. I had sand on the line too, 'to make her grip, but, I found that the engine, was jumping so much witli the weight behind her that I put it back into the forward position. When I began to fear the engine would leave the line I called to my fireman to stand in the gateway and' get ready to jump, but not to jump until the" engine left the rail?.

"A little later, as we came towards the curve in the hlacknesa of the night, I felt the tender in front of the "engine heel over and then I was thrown over as from a catapult. I seemed to be an immense time flying through the air, after which I hit' the ground and rolled for some yards. Wjien \ was rolling. I felt as'if something very strong was pushing me along. T seemed to hear some sleepers crashing past me. After that everything became a hlank."