This page clarifies the terms used within this section of the website. These definitions are in line with Section 4 of the Railways Act 2005(external link) (the Act), where applicable.
Note: This doesn’t include definitions of the accident/incident categories. These are contained on the Accident and incident categories page.
According to the Act, the term ‘accident’ refers only to serious events, which means all rail accidents require immediate notification. The definition is provided below:
An accident means an occurrence associated with the operation of a rail vehicle or the use of railway infrastructure or railway premises that causes:
A person, and any employee of that person, who has a contract of service to carry out work for a rail participant and is carrying out that work.
CloseAn incident means an occurrence, other than an accident, that is associated with the operation of a rail vehicle or the use of railway infrastructure or railway premises that placed, or could have placed:
A level crossing is an area where a road and a railway meet at substantially the same level, whether or not there is a level crossing sign on the road at all or any of the entrances to the area.
CloseMetrage is marked out by trackside pegs every kilometre and every half kilometre, and is used as a way of communicating the track location of features such as culverts, train signals, or tack faults. Metrage is measured and read in kilometres.
CloseAny occurrence where the driver of a moving train or rail vehicle, takes emergency action, or would have if there was sufficient time, to avoid impact with a person, vehicle or other obstruction and no collision occurred. Emergency action includes continuous audible warning and/or brake application.
CloseA person travelling or intending to travel on a train, including:
Distinguishes how close an incident was to potentially injuring someone or damaging property:
In relation to an accident or incident, public refers to any person affected who is not rail personnel, a passenger or a trespasser.
CloseThe rail activities of a rail participant, or for which a rail participant is responsible, are as follows:
A rail participant means any of the following:
Rail personnel, in relation to a rail participant, means an individual engaged by the rail participant or by an agent or contractor of the rail participant, whether as an employee, agent, contractor, or volunteer, for the purposes of carrying out, or assisting in carrying out, rail activities of the rail participant.
CloseMeans any vehicle that runs on, or uses, a railway line; including:
Railway infrastructure means:
A vehicle or any device in, on, or by which any person or property is permitted to be transported on a public or private roadway.
CloseA serious injury is any injury that requires (or would usually require) a person to have immediate treatment at a hospital (either out-patient treatment by a hospital’s Emergency Department or admission to hospital).
It would be expected to include, but is not limited to:
Note: Injuries that only require first aid treatment would not normally be considered a serious injury.
CloseThe severity rating of an accident or incident influences the priority for assessment and investigation. See the What to notify page for the severity classification table.
CloseWhen the damage caused by an incident is estimated to be more that $200,000.
CloseAny incident that had a very high potential to cause multiple causalities or significant damage to property.
CloseOne or more rail vehicles coupled together, at least one of which is a locomotive or other self-propelled unit that is designed to be operated on a railway.
| Train type |
Definition |
|
Freight train |
A train that is designed and used for carrying freight, whether or not it is carrying freight at the time of an occurrence |
|
Metro passenger train |
A passenger train that primarily travels within designated metropolitan areas |
|
Non-metro passenger train |
A passenger train that travels outside designated metropolitan areas |
|
Tourist and heritage passenger train |
A passenger train operated by a designated tourist and heritage rail operator |
|
Track maintenance train |
A type of train that is designed and used for track inspection and maintenance work |
|
Tram |
A specific type of passenger train running on rails that includes being laid in a public road |
This is the type of power unit providing motive power to the train, for instance electric, diesel, steam or man-powered.
CloseA person who is on railway infrastructure, railway premises, or rail vehicles, whether intentionally or negligently, with no right or authority to be there.
Examples include a person:
A person who undertakes railway work for a rail participant on a voluntary or unpaid basis and is carrying out that work.
CloseA wrong-side failure describes a failure condition in a piece of railway signalling equipment that results in an unsafe state. A typical example would be a signal showing a 'proceed' aspect (eg green) when it should be showing a 'stop' or 'danger' aspect.
Close