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Queensland Rail has released video showing the moment a driver crashed a truck into a rail bridge on Wednesday morning, halting train services on the Cleveland line for more than an hour.
The driver was transporting machinery when they tried to pass under Wynnum’s Pine Street bridge just before 7.30am.
Footage of the crash shows the truck was launched upwards by the impact of the machinery hitting the bridge’s protection beam.
The man’s truck was launched upwards by the impact of the machinery hitting the bridge’s protection beam.Credit: Queensland Rail
Another vehicle was travelling in the opposite direction at the time, but no one was injured.
The crash halted train services until 9am, with replacement buses operating until then.
QR released the footage with a plea for drivers to be aware of their vehicle and load height.
The machinery hit the bridge during morning peak hour.Credit: Queensland Rail
There were 29 protection beam strikes and two bridge strikes at the Pine Street underpass last financial year.
“Thankfully, due to that protection beam, the rail bridge has not sustained major damage, but our customers were still delayed while teams inspected the bridge to ensure it was safe to run services again,” said QR’s head of south-east Queensland, Neil Backer.
“Strikes to rail bridges and protection beams not only cause delays to our customers but are potentially very dangerous to the driver and other road users, as well as impacting road traffic.
“Our message is simple: know the height and load of your vehicle and plan your journey so you don’t get your truck or load stuck.”
Drivers can be fined $1335 and lose four demerit points, or incur a court-imposed penalty of up to $13,352, for damaging rail infrastructure.
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