When required to stop at a level crossing, drivers must stop their vehicle, sight, and remain clear of trains, a final report from the ATSB’s investigation of a collision between a truck and The Ghan passenger train highlights.
A truck driver sustained serious injuries in the accident on 15 September 2024, which fortunately did not result in a derailment or injuries to any of the 260 people aboard The Ghan.
The passenger train was travelling towards Alice Springs, about 48 km south, when a road train (an A-triple comprising a prime mover towing two trailers full of cattle, and a third empty trailer) turned from the Stuart Highway onto The Garden Road, driving towards where the road and railway intersected at a level crossing.
Advance road warnings and passive controls, including a stop sign, were installed from the highway turn‑off and along The Garden Road to alert road users of the upcoming crossing.
About 270 m from the level crossing the locomotive driver sounded the horn for 2 seconds. Then, when The Ghan was approximately 120 m from the crossing, the crew observed the truck come into full view from behind roadside vegetation and progress toward the crossing.
“A video camera fitted to the front of The Ghan’s leading locomotive recorded that about 5 seconds before the collision the truck appears from behind the vegetation,” ATSB Director of Transport Safety Kerri Hughes said.
The train driver then sounded the horn but the truck did not stop and the front end of the prime mover impacted the right rear bogie of The Ghan’s trailing locomotive, resulting in substantial damage to the truck, and extensive damage to the locomotive’s air pipes, side ladder and front cowling.
“Fortunately, through the collision sequence, The Ghan remained upright and neither the locomotives nor carriages derailed. By the time the train had come to a stop, the lead locomotive was 1,380 m beyond the level crossing.”
The prime mover of the truck, meanwhile, came to rest on the field side of the track with engine bay components scattered along the rail corridor.
ATSB analysis of the video concluded the truck was still travelling between 22 and 28 km/h when it was 23 m from the level crossing.
“The truck driver had no recollection of The Ghan’s horn, which was sounded as the truck approached the stop sign. On seeing the leading locomotive, the truck driver rapidly applied brakes, but there was not enough distance to bring the truck to a stop before the collision,” Ms Hughes said.
Attending police concluded the truck driver was not wearing their seatbelt properly at the time of the collision, but it was unknown to what extent this contributed to their serious injuries.
“This accident demonstrates the importance of drivers obeying road rules around level crossings,” Ms Hughes said.
“The truck driver in this case reported they had not seen a train at this crossing before. They also reported that they would sometimes roll through level crossings, as it required significantly more time and effort to stop a loaded truck and then accelerate, than it did to roll through a crossing at low speed.”
ATSB calculations found that, given the rail line speed limit of 115 km/h, a road vehicle driver stopped at the stop line would have been able to see a southbound train about 49 seconds before it reached the crossing.
While the ATSB’s investigation found no issues with geometry or sightlines at the crossing, it did note some aspects of the level crossing’s passive controls were not to standard, or were faded.
“Nonetheless, there was sufficient signage and markings for road users to be aware of the crossing, and to bring their vehicles to a controlled stop before entering the crossing,” Ms Hughes said.
“Passive level crossings use controls that cannot physically prevent road users from entering the rail corridor. It is therefore paramount that road users obey all signs, particularly as a train cannot be stopped promptly when a road vehicle enters the crossing ahead of them.”
After the accident, the Northern Territory’s Department of Logistics and Infrastructure undertook a series of safety actions at the level crossing, including upgrading the approach signage, and refreshing the faded road line markings.
The interface agreement for the level crossing was also revised and renegotiated with the rail infrastructure manager, who committed to install updated signage to meet current standards.
Read the final report: Collision between a truck and The Ghan passenger train, The Garden Road level crossing, 48 km north of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, on 15 September 2024