Train derails at Nuriootpa

Houses narrowly escaped damage after a train laden with rocks derailed in the heart of Nuriootpa this afternoon.

The locomotive operated by Genesee and Wyoming was towing 23 carriages laden with limestone from Penrice Soda’s Angaston quarry when it came unstuck just after 1pm near Penfold’s Barossa Valley headquarters.

The accident blocked traffic through the town as carriages balanced dangerously close to houses which backed onto the train line.

The train, carrying a driver and observer, was delivering the limestone to Penrice Soda’s Osborne processing plant.

Genesee and Wyoming general manager operations Ian Hall said 11 carriages derailed but that nobody was injured.

The company contracts Transfield to maintain the tracks, but Mr Hall said it was too early to speculate as to the cause of the derailment.

He said the tracks were inspected on a regular basis and that there had been “no warning” to problems at the bend.

“At this stage we still don’t know what the cause of the derailment was and we probably won’t for another 24 to 48 hours,” he said.

“We expect to have recovery (of the train) within the next 18 to 24 hours and have the line back in full operation by tomorrow afternoon.”

He said the train was travelling at 20km/h at the time of the incident.

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