Cowan rail accident
| Date | 6 May 1990 |
|---|---|
| Time | 7:20 pm |
| Location | 33°33′16″S 151°11′47″E / 33.55432°S 151.19633°ECoordinates: 33°33′16″S 151°11′47″E / 33.55432°S 151.19633°E |
| Country | Australia |
| Rail line | Newcastle and Central Coast railway line |
| Operator | 3801 Limited, CityRail |
| Type of incident | Collision |
| Cause | Signaling fault |
| Statistics | |
| Trains | 2 |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Injuries | 106 |
The Cowan rail accident occurred at 7:20pm on 6 May 1990 when the 3801 Limited special steam passenger train returning from the Morpeth Jazz Festival was struck in the rear by the following CityRail inter-urban passenger service. The steam train had stalled while attempting to climb the steep gradient from the Hawkesbury River to Cowan, New South Wales, and it was found that sand applied to the rails to regain traction had interfered with the signals and given the following train a false clear indication.
The crash occurred approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of Brooklyn, New South Wales, near the Boronia No. 3 tunnel. The railway line at this point, known as the Cowan Bank, is 2.5% (1 in 40) grade and, as the special hauled by steam locomotive 3801 passed southwards through the No. 3 tunnel, the wheels of the locomotive started to slip. The driver of 3801 applied sand to the rails to improve traction, but the train came to a complete stop approximately 50 metres clear of the tunnel. Passengers on the steam train reported seeing a signal fluctuating aspects between green and yellow. The following CityRail V set inter-urban train, which had been halted at the northern entrance to Boronia No. 4 tunnel for 10 minutes by a red stop signal, received a green indication and proceeded, colliding with the steam train shortly after.
...
Wikipedia