Visibility around local railway crossings is being explored after a SteamRanger train collided with a truck last week.
Following two major incidents in four-weeks, SteamRanger’s Cockle Train has temporarily halted its services and vounteers are imploring drivers to take more caution near railway lines.
The Cockle Train collided with a truck at a Middleton intersection last Wednesday, when 14 passengers and four crew were on board.
The collision caused serious damage to the truck and derailed the 1950s Redhen railcar, with costs yet to be determined.
This follows another incident last month, when two of four Cock Train railcars were derailed between Victor Harbor and Goolwa leading to a formal investigation, which remains ongoing.
In July 2022, a car similarly collided with the Cockle Train near Port Elliot.
Rail Safety Manager, Barry Walding, said having two recent major incidents has been “fairly crippling” for the heritage railway service, and the impacted rail cars remain at Victor Harbor and Goolwa until they are deemed safe to travel, and “with a limited workforce, that’s always going to be a problem”.
Repairs are expected to be expensive for the service, which is supported by ticket sales and volunteers, and already funds “costly” ongoing maintenance.
SteamRanger has 60 interfaces in the Alexandrina Council region, and is working with council to look at aspects of visibility and vegetation control at level crossings.
“If you can’t see what’s coming until you poke your nose out, it just enhances the chance of an accident,” Mr Walding said.
“It was probably a contributing factor (in the recent collision).”
Running some ad-hoc services, Mr Walding believes drivers fail to expect a train will be passing.
“Always expect a train, that’s the key message for all drivers, I implore people to always expect a train,” he said.
“We do run some ad-hoc services, we do run trains midweek sometimes.”
Mr Walding believes judging the speed of an approaching train is difficult, and SteamRanger trains reach up to 70km/h which reduces risks and offers passengers a relaxing trip, but still take a “long time” to pull-up in an emergency-stop.
“(Accidents) happen, they’re a fact of life,” Mr Walding said.
“You wonder why people collide at an intersection with traffic lights – even the fitting of flashing lights on level crossings is not necessarily the complete answer.”
Steamranger Heritage Railway operates a number of different heritage steam and diesel-hauled tourist trains between Mount Barker and Mount Lofty Ranges, down to Strathalbyn, through Goolwa, Port Elliot to Victor Harbor.
Operating over 200 days a year, the service is manned by volunteers who are also responsible for the rail line, heritage locomotives and carriages.
SteamRanger is always looking for new volunteers to jump on board the service, which aims to reopen for the July school holidays.
“We don’t exist without volunteers,” Mr Walding added.
“We can’t run a railway without volunteers, the organisation would not be financially viable if we had paid staff.”
