Level crossing crash in Brisbane

From the Courier Mail

The bus had stopped in the middle of the level crossing, the boom gates had come down and the impact severely injured the bus driver. There is a curve in the track just before the level crossing and the train driver, who was not scheduled to stop at the station, had only moments between sighting the bus and the crash taking place.

In late 2001, the Rail Tram & Bus Union formally complained to the Brisbane City Council of the danger of buses "bottoming out" at the crossing. The Council and Queensland Rail had responded, but too slowly - $30,000 had been allocated by the Council to completely re-grade the level crossing in 2004.

The train driver also received neck injuries in the accident.

There was only one passenger on the bus, and almost 100 passengers on the train, but none was injured. The bus passenger told the Brisbane daily newspaper, The Courier Mail, that the bus had been "stuck on the rails" before the crash.

The RTBU Bus Division is preparing a submission for the coronial inquest on difficulties with the Scania gas-powered buses of the type involved in the accident. The buses are brand new, but drivers complain of sudden stopping, solenoid problems, poor acceleration and sluggish fuel supply.