Transport accident investigators are racing to speak to passengers after a TranzAlpine service broke down inside a tunnel for more than an hour yesterday.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) launched an investigation into the incident, with chief investigator of accidents Louise Cook urging all 103 passengers on board to come forward as soon as possible.
"It's crucial in every investigation to capture any evidence that could change with time — and that includes the recollections of the passengers on board, so we're keen to hear from all of the passengers as soon as possible," she said.
The train, carrying passengers from Christchurch to Greymouth, stopped in Tunnel 9 on the Midland Line about 10km north of Springfield at around 9.50am on Saturday.
It remained in the tunnel between Staircase and Cragieburn until about 11am, when an engineer was able to reset the locomotive and leave the tunnel. A relief train then towed it back to Christchurch.
KiwiRail general manager of passengers Clare Morgan said there was no safety risk to passengers during the incident.
"We sincerely apologise to all those involved and will be investigating this issue."
Passenger Lisa Brien Herd had flown down from Auckland with her husband, two children and mother to take her mum on the TranzAlpine as a 70th birthday treat.
"As we entered the tunnel the train slowed to a stop, it wasn't an aggressive stop by any means and initially we thought it was just a quick blip and we would be off again," she told 1News.
"Within minutes there was an announcement that the driver had an issue with the engine and they were trying to resolve the problem."
Passengers were offered a full refund and free buses to Greymouth for those still wanting to complete the journey, with a confirmation email arriving before the train had even pulled back into the station.
Great Journeys New Zealand also contacted car rental companies in Greymouth to arrange for them to stay open late for affected customers.
Despite the disruption, she was full of praise for how the situation was handled.
"The staff on board were absolutely amazing and the company did everything they possibly could to accommodate us."
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