An investigation has been launched into a Southland train crash, in which a freight train ploughed into line maintenance equipment.
Workers who were laying sleepers on the railway line at McNab, near Gore, had to jump out of the way before the northbound train hit their vehicles about 12.45pm on Monday.
New Zealand Railways Corporation spokesperson Kevin Ramshaw says no one was injured, but the maintenance equipment was badly damaged.
Mr Ramshaw says it is not clear why the train failed to stop, and the incident is being investigated by KiwiRail and Ontrack.
He says the investigation could take some weeks.
