Train driver fell asleep after drinking

By STUART DYE transport reporter

A train driver killed when his train careered off the tracks had fallen asleep after drinking beer earlier in the day.

Timothy Steffert died when the freight train he was driving derailed at Te Wera, near Stratford, as it rounded a curve at 25km/h over the speed limit.

Daniel Brown, a rail operator, survived the crash with serious injuries.

A report into the accident says the driver had been drinking during the afternoon and was probably impaired when starting his shift.

"However, his observed blood alcohol level for the time of the accident was low and any associated impairment would have been minor and not have played a significant role," concludes the Transport Accident Investigation Commission report.

The accident happened about 2am on July 26 last year as the train headed from Auckland to New Plymouth.

Mr Steffert, 38, failed to negotiate a curve and two locomotives rolled down a 12m bank in rugged hill country.

The commission said Mr Steffert had probably lapsed into a micro-sleep at the top of a rise, causing the train to gain speed as it descended and approached the curve.

The locomotives took the 45km/h limit corner at around 70km/h.

Mr Steffert was crushed and died of his injuries. Mr Brown was found by emergency services six hours later with serious leg and chest injuries.

The report found that both men had probably fallen asleep shortly before the crash.

In Mr Steffert's case, he was suffering sleep deprivation.

This was not caused by long shifts, but by a lack of sleep between shifts, said the report.

The commission also concluded Mr Steffert was over the legal alcohol driving limit when he started his shift.

"The effects of this fatigue may have been exacerbated by the effects of his previous consumption of a significant amount of alcohol."

The report said lack of supervision in the train control centre had hampered initial response to the crash and management of the recovery programme.

Several safety recommendations were made to Tranz Rail in the report.

They included formal training for fatigue awareness, improved communications between train and control staff and an overhaul of emergency procedures.

The company said yesterday it would implement training for staff and their families on the effects of drugs and alcohol and address the control centre communication problems.