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The train station in Wellsford became the scene of a major crash on March 17, albeit in the interests of training emergency services and KiwiRail personnel.
About 30 firefighters, along with ambulance and police officers from Warkworth, Wellsford and Helensville, enacted a response to a simulated train crash involving two cars.
Fire Service Assistant Area Commander Vaughan Mackereth said the purpose was to present a learning opportunity in a controlled environment.
“It was an unusual scenario and identified the range of hazards that could be involved in such an incident, such as electricity, access and dealing with cargo,” he said.
Rail accident investigator Brent Gillett said the exercise was an opportunity for KiwiRail staff to interact with emergency personnel. This involved making sure everyone was aware of all rail safety hazards and keeping emergency workers safe while they did their job.
“It can take a 100-tonne train, travelling at 80kph, up to 800 metres to stop, so although the train driver might see you, it may not be able to avoid the crash,” Mr Gillett says. “Complacency on the part of motorists is often a contributing factor when trains and cars collide.”
Since 2000, there have been an average of 12 rail accidents a year in New Zealand, many fatal.
The last train crash in the district happened in 1993, when a morning goods train travelling south, hit a car on the Silverhill Road level crossing at Te Hana, killing the passenger and injuring the driver.
