Runaway train with no driver travelled faster than 60km/h in Hunter Valley

Railway safety officials are investigating a serious incident in Australia's Hunter Valley where a fully laden coal train began moving downhill unattended. The train, operated by Pacific National, traveled several kilometers, including through level crossings, before coming to a stop near Glennies Creek.

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Pacific National can confirm that an incident involving one of its coal services occurred in the Hunter Valley during the early hours of 25 July 2026.

The incident occurred in the early hours of July 25, 2026, during a crew change at Camberwell. The train reportedly reached speeds exceeding its safe operating limit of 60 kilometers per hour. Pacific National confirmed the event, stating there were no injuries to crew or the public, and no collision or derailment occurred.

Pacific National has notified the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR). The company emphasized that safety is its highest priority and pledged full cooperation with authorities to understand the cause and prevent recurrence.

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There were no injuries to our crew or any members of the public, and there was no collision or derailment.

The ONRSR has deployed a team of specialists to investigate the circumstances surrounding the runaway train. They have issued a Non-Disturbance Notice to preserve the scene and are gathering information from the operator. The incident led to a 36-hour suspension of both coal and passenger train movements on the affected line.

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Safety is Pacific National's highest priority. We take this incident extremely seriously and are fully cooperating with the regulator and all relevant authorities to understand exactly what occurred and identify any actions required to prevent a recurrence.

While the train did not derail, the Australian Rail Track Corporation reported significant wheel damage to a locomotive. The line was cleared and reopened just after midday on Sunday.

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The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) has this morning deployed a team of rail safety officers, investigators and rolling stock specialists to the Hunter Valley where a fully loaded coal train has been involved in a runaway incident.