Derailment of fertiliser train.

[Matt]

With regard to the derailment of a fertiliser train between Charters Towers and Townsville on 30 December 2020, is there a policy to inspect the track immediately prior to a freight or passenger movement by a Hirail type vehicle, surely since the acid train derailment a few years ago near Hughenden-Julia Ck there would be lessons learned.

[Matt]

With regard to QR's modern approach, I found a suitable vehicle for track inspection.

[JimmyP]

Given that several trains a day use the line, I don't think sending out an inspection crew in front of each train is feasible. A proper rebuild of the line would do well though.

[Matt]

JimmyP,
                I can see that it is not feasible to do a check run before each train, but surely a check run before the first movement after extreme conditions so the train crew don't get a nasty surprise when they happen on a washout, wouldn't be impossible.

[JimmyP]

That could be possible. I believe the current method is to warn the traincrew and impose verbal speed restrictions on the first movements if there is any sign of an issue at a certain point, but I could be wrong too.

[Matt]

Maybe I've been watching too much television Jimmy.