ACCIDENT TO RUNAWAY GOODS TRAIN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17572, 16 May 1919, Page 5

ACCIDENT TO RUNAWAY GOODS TRAIN.

DRIVER SUCCUMBS TO TERRIBLE INJURIES.

Yet another big smash has to be recorded on the Main Trunk railway. On Wednesday night, at about S.M p.m., a goods tram became unmanageable when travelling downhill between Waiouru and Mataroa, and on reaching h point about three miles south of the .small station of Ngaruakehu, and v.hile going at a speed approaching one hundred miles an hour, the engine left the rails, • with disastrous results. The •tiain, comprising in all 35 trucks of coal and timber, principally, immediately piled up in a terrible wreck. The engine-driver, Thomas Walsh, of Taihape, was badly injured and scalded ttjnd died soon after his admission to the Taihape Hospital. Fireman McKenna received a severe scalding, und Guard Batty is suffering from »hock. At present the cause of the disaster is unknown, but it is considered that tho fnilura of the brakes to act when commencing the run down the hill and the weight of the train, nearly 500 tons, were contributing factors in the tragic affair. All traffic between Taihape and Ohakw» is suspended and will remain suspended for some time. The Main Trunk trains will still run, but passenSers will tranship to another train on be other side or the wreck. At present the permanent way is absolutely blocked with wreckage which it will lake a considerable time to clear away. DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT. '.' I* appears that the train, compris--■■^ing nearly 40 waggons, and drawn by "v powerful engine, left' Ohakune for 'laihape at about 5 p.m. The run tiom Ohakune to Wairouru. a distance of about 16 miles, is a stiff grade, md the heavy train was apparently • low in negotiating the hill, as she was »o late on reaching Hihitahi, eight mile 3 from Waiouru, that it was deemed advisable to detain her there unt.il the express passed, rather than at 'Ngaurukeb.il, another crossing; north oF Mataroa. This was providential for it 13 horrible to content • plate what would have happened !)ad the two trains been destined io i-ross at Ngaurukehu, for when tha freighter passed the latter station sho went by like a flash, and mu&t have been travelling at a speed of fully 100 .nile«» an hour. Soon after Gardiner's (Siding rvas passed the ?rain accelerated its speed. r.nd Guard Batty, who was in charge, finding his \\n jumping in a most erratb favhion anp'iM tho Wpstinghouso brakes, but found they would not act. As the momentum increased, he kne*v Hie train was *■ runaway, but he was powerless to do anything other than to await eventualities. As the freighter dashed downhill at terrific speed 'lisaster romewhere along the line was inevitable, and it cams soon after p"as«nig Ngaurukehu, where Clausen, the ; orter in charge, pent out signals of warning to stations beyond that a runk nwny was on the tracks. k Driver Walsh did his utmost to let the signaller at Ngnurukehu know that *he train was beyond control, as he kept, blowing his whistle continually. |T lhe crash came when a curve in .'• v ciit^tVK was being negotiated. Tho f ■•np'iTio loft the rails, and the weight t>r the waggons behind caused the greater portion of the train to be shot compietely over the top of the engine, an 1 ■i mass of wreckage, such as never before has been seen on a New Zealand railway, wns produced in a second c»r two. The force of the impact was Terrific, and Guard Batty was stunned for a moment. He quickly recovered himself, and though badly shaken, hastened with all possible speed to ascertain the fate of the driver and firelp'an. He found tho engine lying over or. its side, partly covered by wreckage, and badly broken. Fireman MoKenna had extricated Vtimself from the debris, an.i was ;n I/is way to the creek. He had been •»adly scalded by oozing'steam and boiling water, and appealed '"n a very bad way. He was suffering intense agony. Attention was then directed to the driver, who wvis closed in, and apparently so injured that ho was quite helpless, but it was about two hours before the poor fellow was rescued, more c'^id than i'live The smash occurred about 8 p.m., ond Matarca, Taihsipe, and Ohakune' were advised as quickly as passible by ihe porter nt NsraurukHTu. At O!i-i- ---. \ une Traffic Inspector O'Loughlan, Dis:rict Engineer Jeffreys, Station master K. Laurie, and Fovoman of Works .1. fTiimmond were qu'ckly at work organising relief, and a special train con- < fining the staft was despatched about 10.30 p.m. for tho scene of the disaster, which was renched a little after midnight. " In the meantime, IVIr Currie. Inspector of I'ermanent Way ut " 'livb<\nt>, expeditinusiy arranged for ■> -i «rial train at this end carrying medical help, for the ini'ired men. and a little after eleven o'clock the rescue party "succeeded in ecetting Driver Walsh out. The doctor who came from Mangawekn. vestercay morning, rendered first aid nnd pi:.ve aU the relief possible to the injured men. and had them subsequentI. conveyed back to Taihape Hospital. ATTENDING TO THE SUFFERERS. Walsh's injiiries wot© very serious, comprising scalds nnd shock. The night was bitterly cold, but a fire was 5-larterl alongside the track, and Tvarmth was afforded while the doctor fca* .attending to the sufferers. The only live stock on the train wa? r horse. It will be a couple of days before it can be reached. The mam tonnage consisted of coal and timber, and this has been flung in all directions. The permanent way, too, hns been badly damaged, «is broken sleepers are to be found on top of the bank. INTERRUPTION OF TRAFFIC. When the Wellington express passengers arrived at the scene early yesterday morning, they had to be transhipped to another train waiting on tho other side of the wreckage, and this course will lie followed for several days, >ntil tho road is cleared and the damped construction repaired. A big • taff of men left Ohakune at about five v"clock yesterday morning and the

work of clearing the wreckage commenced. This is going to be an arduous undertaking, and, as already indictated will occupy several days. Local trains have been suspended.