Tasrail has suspended the use of remote control hand-held technology on all of its services until the conclusion of investigations into an incident on Friday.
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The announcement was made on Saturday after Devonport made national news when a driverless TasRail freight train with 16 wagons loaded with cement derailed on the waterfront, injuring two people.
A spokesperson from TasRail said the technology had been utilised by the company for more than 15 years in loading operations at freight terminals.
TasRail was planning to lift the first of seven wagons on Saturday afternoon as part of intensively managed recovery operations following Friday’s derailment in Devonport.
“The Australian Transport Safety Bureau this morning partially released the site, enabling TasRail to shunt upright and undamaged wagons back into the terminal. These nine wagons are expected to be unloaded within the next 24 hours,” a spokesperson said.
Product was being extracted from the seven remaining wagons to reduce the weight so they could be lifted by crane but the immediate focus was on the four rear wagons, which were blocking the main line.
Formby Road between Best and King streets will remain closed until the train has been removed with the assistance of a crane.
TasRail chief executive officer Steven Dietrich, on Friday, spoke to the two members of the public that were injured and expressed TasRail’s concern, and sincere thoughts and wishes for a speedy recovery.
Mr Dietrich again thanked Tasmania Police and all emergency service personnel for their fast and professional response, as well as their cooperation with the TasRail team to safely manage the incident.
He also thanked the Devonport City Council and the local community for their assistance and understanding regarding disruption to traffic flows during the recovery operations.
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How it all unfolded
About 9am TasRail notified Tasmania Police the automated train would derail. Police knew for nine minutes the train could derail but they were unsure exactly where it would eventually come to a stop.
The train was travelling approximately 50 kilometres per hour when it derailed about 9.10am, along Formby road, about 38 metres from the Harbor Master Cafe toilet block.
The train was carrying 16 carriages of cement and it is believed the train was at Railton when police were first notified of the problem.
Two pedestrians were walking on the path when the train derailed.
A woman in her 20s received cuts and abrasions to her head after the freight train hit a fence and the fencing material struck her.
A man in his 40s has a suspected broken elbow and cuts and abrasions and they were both quickly transported to the North-West Regional Hospital.
On Friday Inspector Stewart Wilkinson praised TasRail for an “outstanding result” in an emergency train derailment.
“Our members were on the scene immediately and provided first aid to the people,” Inspector Wilkinson said.
“We deployed all our resources, every police officer we had available we deployed. Every vehicle we had available we deployed… It was all hands on deck for that period of time.”
TasRail chief executive Steven Dietrich said he was unable to comment on whether the train was out-of-control until further investigation.
“But based on discussions between the expertise train control staff at TasRail, local TasRail staff here in Devonport and the emergency services and police were able to determine the best point to bring the train to a safe halt.”
“As soon as the incident was made aware to the TasRail teams they were able to get hold of the police who were excellent in their response.
“They were able to support us through the process and coordinate the area, ensuring that we had a safe outcome and were able to bring the train safely to a stop.”