Experienced driver John Kennedy, 54, and the train’s pilot, Sam Meintanis, 49, both died when they suffocated under dirt and rocks in the front cabin of the Sydney to Melbourne XPT train when all carriages derailed in 2020.
In train driver John Kennedy’s final moments, as his passenger locomotive careered through a turnout at speed, he rushed to apply the emergency brakes., 45 kilometres north of Melbourne, in February 2020.For that lifesaving action, Sonnet said, Kennedy should be forever remembered.
The train had been diverted through the Wallan loop track at the time because the signalling system was down on the straight section of the usual route that day.The train then entered the area at more than 100 km/h instead of the recommended speed of about 15 km/h.Cranes lift part of the derailed train days after it came off the tracks.On Wednesday, representatives of the two companies faced Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, where Sonnet convicted and fined ARTC $375,000 and NSW Trains $150,000.
The regulator said ARTC, which is responsible for the route from Somerton in Victoria to Macarthur in NSW via Albury, failed to implement key safety measures before the fatal derailment.NSW Trains is responsible for the management of the XPT train, while the corporation manages the rail line. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s final report on the crash, released in August 2023, found that a fire in a signalling hut the months prior meant paper documents had to be given to train drivers instead of the regular system.The investigation also found the XPT driver’s cab design contributed to the deaths of the driver and co-driver. Passenger briefings, onboard guides and signage also didn’t properly inform travellers about what to do in an emergency.
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