Two Crew Injured As Train Derails Near Country Station In Regional New South Wales, Line Closed

Dubbo, Australia— Two crew members were taken to hospital after a train derailed just short of a regional station, tipping carriages off the track and tearing up several hundred meters of line.

The derailment happened around 6:30 a.m. near a small station west of Dubbo. The freight service was hauling grain. The locomotive stayed upright but two wagons behind it left the rails. One tipped onto its side. Ballast was scattered across the formation.

NSW TrainLink said the driver and a second crew member suffered injuries. One had a suspected back injury. The other had cuts and bruising. Both were taken to Dubbo Base Hospital. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening. No other people were on board.

The line was closed immediately. Freight services were stopped at both ends. A replacement bus was arranged for a regional passenger service that uses part of the same corridor. Farmers waiting for grain pickups were told to expect delays.

"We felt a jolt, then the brakes, then we were leaning," one crew member told paramedics at the scene. That account is part of the initial report.

Investigators from the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator arrived by midday. They photographed wheel marks, checked points and inspected track condition. Heavy rain had softened ground in the area during the past week. Whether that played a role is not yet known.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation said track crews would need to lift the derailed wagons with heavy cranes. Repair of rail, sleepers and signaling could take two days. The wagons will be examined at a depot once recovered.

Locals said derailments had happened before on the stretch, usually at low speed. One landholder said he heard a loud screeching sound and then silence. He drove to the crossing and saw the wagons off the track.

The line will remain closed until safety clearance is given. A preliminary report is expected within a week.