Train stopped 100 yards before level crossing where barriers failed to lower, investigation finds

Seán McCárthaigh

A freight train travelling from Ballina to Waterford came to a halt 100 metres before a level crossing whose barriers failed to lower automatically to stop road traffic, as the mechanism had been switched off to facilitate maintenance work, an investigation has revealed.

A report into the potentially dangerous incident by the Railway Accident Investigation Unit found the driver of the freight train had passed a red danger signal on the approach to the level crossing, despite applying an emergency brake.

RAIU investigators said the main causal factor of the incident was the failure of the driver to respond appropriately to an earlier yellow “caution” signal by reducing speed.

The report showed the train had continued past the yellow signal at 64km/h.

It said there was insufficient braking distance to stop the train before passing the signal at danger by the time the driver had seen it.

The train came to a halt around 100 metres past the red warning signal and approximately the same distance before the level crossing.

The incident took place at Keelogues level crossing in Co Mayo on the Ballina-Manulla Junction line at around 11:40am on August 13th, 2024.

“Under slightly different circumstances the incident may have led to serious accident with the potential for a fatality or serious injuries to road users due to the risk of [the train] passing through the level crossing with the barriers in the raised position,” the report stated.

The train driver, who tested negative for drugs and alcohol, was temporarily stood down following the incident.

However, he was subsequently involved in another incident of passing a signal at danger in May 2025 and has since moved to a non-driving role.

One of two technicians working on the level crossing resigned after recording a positive test for drugs.

The report noted the train driver did not react to the cautionary yellow signal and had not applied any error prevention techniques.

The RAIU said a contributory factor was the failure of a technician working on the level crossing to contact a controller to have the automatic mechanism reactivated to allow the freight train to pass.

It noted the route between Ballina and Athlone is not equipped with in-cab warning or train protection systems which would have prompted the train driver to either respond to the yellow warning signal or would have provided a warning and enforced braking which may have prevented a signal being passed at danger.

For that reason, the RAIU said the safe control of trains on that section of track is fully reliant on drivers observing and then reacting to signals on the route.

The RAIU said a system issue identified during the investigation was the lack of a detailed procedure for returning a level crossing to normal operation after maintenance work has been completed.

The railway safety body noted it had previously issued a recommendation in 2015 that Iarnród Éireann should introduce adequate train protection systems across its network.

The RAIU issued two new safety recommendations for Iarnród Éireann including the need to review the instructions in place for maintenance of level crossings.

Iarnród Éireann said it had reviewed the instructions in place for work on level crossings following its own internal investigation into the incident.

It also issued a notice to all staff about its drugs and alcohol policy.

The company said it would also conduct research on how to enhance attention and vigilance and reduce the potential for drivers forming a false mental model when driving.