Next-gen Queensland Rail train traps passengers and sparks delays
Cancelled train sign at South Brisbane Station on Sunday. Photo: ABC/ Twitter
Train delays have been resolved in time for the Monday morning commute, after Brisbane passengers were trapped in an underground tunnel for an hour.
Electrical contact between a New Generation Rollingstock train and overhead lines about 8.28pm on Saturday caused damage to 1200 metres of power lines and widespread delays.
It resulted in another train on the Brisbane airport line breaking down in the tunnel between Roma Street and Central stations.
Almost 60 passengers were trapped underground for more than an hour before being evacuated via an emergency exit. One passenger was reportedly treated for anxiety.
The contact between the train and overhead line caused minor electrical sparking.
Delays continued on Sunday as works to move the train and repair the damaged overhead equipment was under way.
All inner-city services resumed by 5.30pm.
“Minor delays will continue to be experienced as final repairs continue and these are expected to be completed [Sunday night], in time for [Monday’s] morning peak period,” a Queensland Rail spokesperson told The New Daily.
TransLink said Beenleigh, Gold Coast and Airport train lines returned to normal stopping patterns.
Buses remained in place between Roma Street and Moorooka to help affected passengers.
Services were still delayed by up to 20 minutes about 7pm on Sunday.
QR earlier said crews were working as quickly as possible to repair the damage and apologised for the delays.
“Our first priority is safely repairing the damage to overhead power lines and restoring full services for our customers.
“Investigations will be undertaken to determine the cause of the issue.”
QR said it was yet to be determined if the NGR train caused the power problem.
The incident is the latest in a series of problems associated with the new trains, which have been delayed and flawed in design after failing to meet Australian requirements around disability access.
The procurement process started under Anna Bligh’s Labor government, but was signed off by Campbell Newman’s LNP government, with the first trains delivered after Labor returned to power in 2015.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was transport minister at the time the process was started.
Robert Dow, from the Rail Back on Track advocacy group, told AAP they’re worried there’s something wrong with the new trains not properly interacting with existing overhead infrastructure.
“We have to find out, do these new trains have a propensity for dewirements [sic] that the old trains didn’t have?”
-with AAP
