Cowan Rail Accident (Paperback)

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. The Cowan rail accident occurred at 7:20pm on 6 May 1990 when the 3801 Limited special steam passenger train returning from the Morpeth Jazz Festival was struck in the rear by the following CityRail inter-urban passenger service. The steam train had stalled while attempting to climb the steep gradient from the Hawkesbury River to Cowan, New South Wales, and it was found that sand applied to the rails to regain traction had interfered with the signals and given the following train a false clear indication. The crash occurred approximately 5 kilometres south of Brooklyn, New South Wales, near the Boronia No. 3 tunnel. The railway line at this point is 2.5% grade and, as the special hauled by C38-class steam locomotive 3801 passed southwards through the No. 3 tunnel, the wheels of the locomotive started to slip.