INVESTIGATIONS START ON RAIL DISASTER

On January 18, 1977, an inbound commuter train hauled by an electric locomotive derailed in the Sydney suburbs, struck the between-the-tracks steel supports for a street overpass, and then had several of its cars damaged and crushed by the collapsing concrete bridge deck. This was the worst rail disaster in Australian history with 81 killed. While the derailment cause had not been determined, it was agreed that had there been no intermediate piers the bridge would not have fallen. Piers were said not to be designed to take excessive lateral force and the 13 girders under the bridge rested only on brick ledges at the edges of the railway cut. Steps taken to prevent further movement of the fallen bridge deck during rescue operations are described.

• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Engineers

  Science House, Gloucester and Essex Streets
  Sydney,   Australia 
• Publication Date: 1977-1-28

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos;
• Pagination: p. 2-3
• Serial:
  • Institution of Engineers (Australia) Journal
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue Number: 6

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abutments; Bridge decks; Bridge design; Bridges; Crash investigation; Derailments; Disasters and emergency operations; Overpasses; Piers (Supports); Piers (Wharves); Structural design
• Identifier Terms: New South Wales Government Railways
• Uncontrolled Terms: Emergency procedures
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00156865
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 4 1977 12:00AM