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Truckies impressed with Brisbane Truck Show 2011

Ray — Fri, 06 May 2011 23:29:35 +0000

Brisbane Truck Show 2011 at the Brisbane Convention Centre

The Brisbane Truck Show 2011 has been an outstanding success with Thousands of visitors rushing the opening doors at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Thursday and Friday to gain entrance.

Brisbane Truck Show organisers must be pleased with the large crowds, as there is everything on show including prime movers, semi- trailers and a plethora of aftermarket products that has truck enthusiasts drooling from the mouth, confirming the fact that the Brisbane Truck Show is the largest and best Truck Show in the Southern Hemisphere.

The face of the Brisbane Truck Show, the great Broncos, Queensland State Of Origin and Australian international rugby league player, Shane Webcke, was on hand fulfilling his role as the Brisbane Truck Show Ambassador and the role obviously pleased him as you could not miss his huge frame and welcoming smile.

If you are a “truckie”, a truck enthusiast or just want to catch up with the up to date changes within the trucking industry, the Brisbane Truck Show 2011 is a must for you. The Truck Show finishes Sunday 8th. May

(I still can’t figure out how they get those huge prime movers and trailers into position for display purposes and there is 3 levels of exhibitors, so give yourself plenty of time.)

Cattle on the hoof

Ray — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:19:35 +0000

CATTLE CARNAGE: Emergency workers attend the cattle truck after it overturned on the Gateway Bridge. Picture: Marc Robertson

Cattle in gateway truck accident

Jane Chudleigh
July 16, 2009 09:20pm
SEVERAL cows were killed and Gateway Motorway traffic disrupted for hours on Thursday night when a cattle truck overturned, blocking the road with dead and dazed livestock.

The truck overturned and caught fire about 7pm in the southbound lanes near Eagle Farm.
Several head of cattle were killed, crushed when the truck overturned.
Distressed and injured animals ran over the Gateway Bridge, bringing traffic in both directions to a standstill.
The escaped cattle were rounded up near the toll booths.
The B-double truck rolled about 7pm, on a bend of road near where a fatal rollover of a truck full of fruit and vegetables occured earlier this month.
The truck driver in this incident was able to escape without serious injury.

A second truck to remove the escaped cattle was still being organised.
Brisbane City Council workers will clear the dead animals from the road.
The southbound lanes of the motorway leading on to the Gateway Bridge have been closed for several hours. Fire crews also have to clean up diesel that spilled from the truck.
Northbound traffic was closed at Murrarie, with diversions in place at Wynnum and Lytton roads.
An RSPCA spokeswoman said about 50 head of cattle escaped from the truck and had to be rounded up.
“They have had to euthanise four of the cows already and looking at euthanising several more because of their injuries,” the spokeswoman said.

Cardwell Train Derailment

Ray — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 23:27:32 +0000

Tilt train crash blamed on faulty signals

Witnesses claimed the signals were not operating properly after a severe storm swept through the area hours before the train carrying 81 people slammed into the semi-trailer at an innocuous crossing over the Bruce Highway at about 2.50pm.

Two train drivers – Richard Weathrell, 54, and a man whose name has not been released – were killed and a number of passengers were injured in the collision, which snapped the truck from its trailer.

The train engine also rolled and twisted but the carriages remained upright.

Emergency crews that arrived on the scene were amazed that so many passengers and the truck driver escaped serious injury.

The crash is the latest in a string of safety problems that have plagued the iconic Tilt Train since its introduction in 1998. and there is now renewed concern over QR’s safety record.

The train was travelling from Brisbane to Cairns yesterday when tragedy struck about 30km south of Cardwell, where the train line crosses the Bruce Highway.

A witness travelling behind the truck last night told The Courier-Mail that flashing lights at the crossing were not working.

Marine Hotel owner Margaret Power said all power had been cut to Cardwell after an electrical storm passed south of the town about 1pm.

“We’ve got two train lines here that we have to cross over here from Cardwell to get to Ingham,” Ms Power said.

“The first lights were working and the trucks all crossed over and then when they got down to this one it wasn’t working.

“The truck driver’s just gone into the train.

“No lights were working.”

Queensland Rail would not comment on whether the lights failed at the time of the collision.

In Parliament last night, Transport Minister John Mickel extended his sympathies to the families of the dead men.

“I want them (the families of the victims) to draw strength from the fact that every honourable Member in this house is thinking of them in their difficult time of unimaginable grief,” he said.

Mr Mickel pledged that there would be a thorough and independent investigation into the tragedy.

“We are also doing whatever we can to assist and expedite the investigation into the cause and circumstances of this accident,” he said.

The crash comes almost four years to the day that 120 passengers were injured when a speeding Tilt Train derailed at Rosedale, 60km north of Bundaberg.

In the aftermath of yesterday’s crash, paramedics set up an emergency triage to cope with the wounded passengers.

Truckies, have your say!