Repaired rail track due to open tonight

Kiwirail workers wait for heavy lifting equipment at the scene of a derailment on the main truck...
Kiwirail workers wait for heavy lifting equipment at the scene of a derailment on the main truck line at Katiki Beach. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
The main trunk line between Dunedin and Oamaru is expected to reopen about 8pm tonight after a freight train derailed on Wednesday, damaging 800m of the track.

Kiwirail spokesman Kevin Ramshaw said it would be several weeks before it was known why nine wagons on the north-bound freight train derailed about 9pm on a section of track at Katiki Beach, north of Palmerston.

"As part of the investigation the train is basically pulled apart and a forensic analysis of it is done."

Five of the wagons, carrying frozen fish, ended up on their sides and another four, carrying fish meal, were derailed but remained upright.

All remained intact and were removed from the site yesterday.

Such a length of track was damaged because often engine drivers did not realise straight away wagons were derailing, and a moving train could not be stopped immediately, Mr Ramshaw said.

As an example, about 8km of track was damaged during a derailment near Stratford in the North Island last week.

Trains continued to operate on the main south line between Invercargill and Dunedin and between Christchurch and Oamaru yesterday.

Non-urgent freight between Dunedin and Christchurch would be held until repairs to the track were completed, while urgent freight would be moved by road, he said.

debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz

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