Runaway Coal Train in Hunter Valley Under Investigation

Railway safety officials are investigating an incident involving a runaway coal train in the Hunter Valley. The fully laden coal train was unmanned and travelled several kilometres, including through level crossings. Pacific National, which hauls coal from mines in the Hunter Valley, confirmed the incident in a statement to the ABC. "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 statement read. "There were no injuries to our crew or any members of the public, and there was no collision or derailment. Pacific National immediately notified Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) network control and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. "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." The ABC understands the fully laden train started rolling independently downhill during a crew change at Camberwell between Singleton and Muswellbrook just after midnight on Saturday morning and that it reached speeds in excess of the safe operating speed of 60 kilometres per hour. Pacific National did not respond to specific questions about how the train came to be unmanned and what speed the train reached. The Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator said in a statement it was investigating the incident. "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. "Fortunately, nobody was injured." "ONRSR issued a Non-Disturbance Notice to ensure the scene is preserved and is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. "In addition to assessing and inspecting the scene, ONRSR is seeking information and documentation from the rail transport operator." The incident held up coal and passenger movements on the line for 36 hours. The Australian Rail Track Corporation said a locomotive sustained significant wheel damage and that there was not a derailment. The line was cleared just after midday on Sunday.