V/Line off the rails

The 135 passengers had to clamber down a ladder from the carriages.

An investigation is under way as to how the 6.01pm return train to Albury left the tracks only 10 metres from West Footscray station.

The line was closed yesterday until late afternoon to fix the track and clear the derailed carriages, with last night’s 6.01pm service to Albury expected to operate under speed restrictions.

It comes just three months after an interstate XPT train derailed on the Melbourne suburban network.

A mudhole was blamed for that 150-passenger train derailing near Coolaroo, about 20 kilometres from Southern Cross station.

Now one train down, V/Line has cancelled today’s 6.35am service from Albury to Southern Cross and the 12pm service from Southern Cross to Albury.

V/Line spokeswoman Clare Steele said although the train was travelling about 60km/h when it derailed, no one was injured.

“There was no injuries to staff or passengers but they would have felt a jolt,” she said.

“Passengers would have been about an hour late home, which we apologise for.”

Passenger Lyn McErvale, of Yarrawonga, said the jolting and the swaying of the derailed carriages, and the smoke, left some passengers in shock.

She said passengers had to walk up a slippery embankment to get to buses.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation’s Brian Dale said an investigation would be carried out by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

He said the derailment had chopped up some of the track, which had been repaired by yesterday afternoon.

“Our job is to get the track back running as fast as possible and we are working with V/Line to recommence the passenger services,” he said.