Calls for action after trains nearly crash head-on in Victoria
There are calls for action after two trains operating on a pre-Federation system narrowly avoided a head-to-head smash in regional Victoria.
The V-Line trains came close to disaster after power problems caused signals to fail last month.
Near Seymour, one of the trains is believed to have passed two faulty signals affected by a power outage, putting it on the same single stretch of track near the station.
There are calls for urgent action on a regional Victorian rail line. 9News
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Luckily, the drivers were able to avoid a collision, hitting the brakes as they spotted each others' headlights.
The line still runs on the 19th-century double-blocking system, which Euroa MP Steph Ryan said looked like "something out of Harry Potter".
"It isn't used anywhere else in Australia," she said.
"Even countries in the developing world like Bangladesh have replaced this system."
It's believed faulty signals nearly led to a head-on collision. 9News
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Ms Ryan claimed stolen copper had not been replaced, leaving operators relying on emergency back-ups for years.
"If they make a mistake, it could have fatal consequences," she said.
The government is working on initial designs to modernise the system, but could not say when it would be fixed.
The V-Line board was cleared out yesterday, with the state to take greater control.
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