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One person has died and some passenger rail services, including the Mainlander between Dunedin and Christchurch, have been cancelled after a “tragic” incident involving a train on Sunday night.
Senior Sergeant John McCarthy said the person died at the Te Awamutu railway station in Waikato at about 6.20pm.
Emergency services rushed to the station but McCarthy said “sadly one person died at the scene”.
“This is a tragic incident, and we are providing support to whānau and those who acted immediately to try to help.”
The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi cancelled several heritage train services across New Zealand on Monday.
“Due to a serious rail incident in the North Island, the network regulator has initiated a mandatory, nationwide safety stand-down for all services operating under a rail heritage licence,” an email to passengers said.
However, Dunedin Railways Ltd’s tourist train service on the Taieri Gorge line went ahead as usual this morning.
An NZTA spokesperson said while the incident was “entirely separate from our operations here in the South Island”, standard safety protocols required it to pause all train movements until an initial investigation is completed.
“Police is investigating, and NZTA is gathering information about the incident to determine if a separate investigation will be undertaken by NZTA as the rail safety regulator,” the spokesperson said.
“NZTA has not ordered a stand-down for all heritage rail services. Heritage rail service operator Steam Incorporated Ltd has recommended (to their members and other operators) the suspension of heritage services in other parts of the country as a precautionary measure while investigations are undertaken.”
A passenger who was due to travel from Dunedin to Christchurch on the Mainlander this morning told the NZ Herald the service provider informed them their 8am train had been cancelled.
“We got a note under the [hotel] door at 2am saying all historic services have been cancelled.
“It’s really awful for the family involved and so they [Mainlander] just need to do what they have to.”
The passenger said replacement coaches were organised, with about 300 to 400 people travelling by bus.
“The Mainlander team here are wonderful and looking after everyone as well as possible,” the passenger told the Herald.
The journey was expected to take just under eight hours.
Green list MP Celia Wade-Brown was also due to catch the Mainlander on Monday morning from Dunedin to Christchurch.
She was set to travel with The Future is Rail locals, Dave McPherson and Dan Jolly, who strongly support the re-establishment of regular passenger rail on the South Island main line between Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill.
“After the tragic incident in Te Awamutu, am travelling by coach today,” Wade-Brown said this morning.
“I hope the issue can be rapidly resolved and we can soon enjoy far more frequent and affordable trains for locals and tourists alike,” Wade-Brown said on Monday morning.
A passenger aboard Glenbrook Vintage Railways “Spiral Steam Spectacular” told the Herald she was at a window seat when the incident happened.
“We weren’t told what happened but looking at the trauma of the bystanders, the trauma of staff … something I’ll never forget. But we weren’t privy to any details,” she told the Herald.
“I heard people outside yelling ‘stop’ seconds after leaving the station, but not in a screaming, desperate way. Then on a staff radio in our carriage came ‘stop, stop, stop’ and then we stopped. It was seconds only.”
Another passenger told RNZ it was a tragic end to a great day.
“We weren’t told what happened, but looking at the trauma of the bystanders… the trauma of staff, something I’ll never forget.”
She said she heard people yelling “stop” as the train left the station before it came to a halt.
“It was seconds only.”
The staff were extraordinary, keeping passengers hydrated and informed as much as possible, she said.
“All while dealing with the unthinkable. They and the firemen were exemplary.”
She was just one of hundreds on board the train, which was travelling from Glenbrook, east of Pukekohe, to National Park and back.
Another passenger said a lot of people were “extremely shocked” and believed the emergency stop was pulled.
“The passengers in the rear carriages were asked to go to the forward ones and then buses were arranged to take us to Hamilton and Glenbrook.”
A nearby resident told RNZ the station was full at the time. She said she went to see a steam train arrive, but returned home because her son “got freaked out at the noise”.
“So, I wasn’t down there when the incident happened, thank god, but the station was full of families and kids watching… so sad.”
A spokesperson for the Transport Accident Investigation Commission said it was notified of the accident on Sunday.
“We are gathering information to inform a decision as to whether to investigate.”
In a statement, McCarthy urged anyone who witnessed what happened to make contact with police.
The Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination and enquiries were ongoing.
- Anyone with information could make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz, or by calling 105, using reference number P067689720.
-Allied Media and RNZ