Track reopens at Clinton following freight train derailment

Sunday, 16 October 2016

Trains are running as normal after a derailment at Clinton in South Otago on Friday night and a major operation to clear the track on Saturday.

The railway line between Gore and Balclutha reopened on Sunday, following the removal of six freight wagons derailed near the Clinton level crossing.

About 300 metres of track was damaged by the fallen wagons and was repaired during the operation.

Some freight services were postponed as a result.

**READ MORE: 

* Kiwirail teams working to remove derailed wagons at Clinton in South Otago  

* State Highway 1 cleared after train derailment** 

* Derailed train partially blocks State Highway 1

A Kiwirail spokesperson said the first Otago-Southland train to come through after the incident was due about midday Sunday.

A crew of about 25 Kiwirail staff and contractors worked overnight Friday and throughout Saturday to prepare the site for heavy lifting equipment, and to remove about 250 tonnes of coal from the bins.  

The coal, which was headed north from Nightcaps in Southland to the Fonterra plant at Clandeboye near Timaru in South Canterbury when the derailment occurred, will be assessed for recovery and cleaning.

Cranes and excavators were used throughout Saturday afternoon to manoeuvre the wagons, some of which had come off the tracks, while others had flipped onto their sides. 

The wagons had been removed from the site or shifted to the side of the track.

'Investigations into how the derailment occurred are continuing,' the Kiwirail spokesperson said.

Planned track work maintenance and renewals would continue as usual throughout the South Island network. 

The derailment occurred at about 7.30pm on Friday, when the wagons, each carrying two 23 tonne bins of coal, broke away from the train.

An eyewitness said one wagon completely derailed on the crossing's south side, with another coming to a stop on the north side, while the other four were dragged another 400m, before derailing.

State Highway 1 at the level crossing was partially blocked for about two hours while Kiwirail staff and emergency services assessed the site.