“Without that stop block, the train could have found itself in somebody’s backyard.”
Ponter said the impact left four people hospitalised with serious injuries, including two train staff and two passengers.
Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The crash, which residents described as sounding like a “massive boom”, prompted a major emergency response and suspension of train services on the line.
Ponter acknowledged the incident would leave some commuters concerned about the safety of the network.
“There will be some concerns, some anxiousness amongst some of our Metlink travellers around how safe the system is,” he said.
“Our commiserations go out to those people who have been affected by this particular event.”
The cause of the crash remains unknown and is now the subject of investigations by both KiwiRail and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC).
A Wellington passenger train derailed in Khandallah on Saturday night. Photo / Thomas Manch
Ponter said investigators needed time to examine the train, signalling systems and other evidence before any conclusions could be drawn.
“It is like a crime scene.”
In the meantime, replacement buses will continue operating for commuters using the Johnsonville Line.
“We will have replacement buses in place. They’re already in place today, and people will have to bear with us as we continue those operations through the early part of this week.”
TAIC chief investigator of accidents Louise Cook said the investigation team has been collecting and preserving evidence.
“That will probably continue for the next couple of days and then of course there’ll be interviews and analysis of documentary evidence as well.”
She said investigators will be interviewing people involved, looking at the tracks and the signalling system, and examining the train’s log which records its data.