Arabic version: قطار فحم هارب يسير من دون سائق عبر وادي هانتر

According to ABC News, a fully laden Pacific National coal train travelled several kilometres without anyone on board after it began rolling downhill during a crew change in the NSW Hunter Valley.

The incident occurred in the early hours of 25 July 2026. The ABC understands the train began moving at Camberwell, between Singleton and Muswellbrook, shortly after midnight on Saturday. It travelled through level crossings and reportedly reached speeds exceeding the safe operating speed of 60 kilometres per hour.

The train stopped near Glennies Creek, close to a level crossing, where crews worked to clear the line. The Australian Rail Track Corporation said a locomotive suffered significant wheel damage, but there was no derailment. Pacific National said there were no injuries to its crew or members of the public, and no collision occurred.

Pacific National said it immediately notified ARTC network control and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. The operator said it was taking the incident seriously and would cooperate with the regulator and relevant authorities to establish what happened and identify actions needed to prevent a recurrence.

The regulator deployed rail safety officers, investigators and rolling-stock specialists to the Hunter Valley, issued a Non-Disturbance Notice to preserve the scene, and began seeking information and documents from the rail transport operator. Coal and passenger services on the line were halted for 36 hours before the line was cleared just after midday on Sunday.