There's a bit more information trickling through re the AZJ...

There's a bit more information trickling through re the AZJ Maitland coal train derailment but its is preparatory and not official.

The AZJ coal train from WHC's Maules Creek mine that is c.90-100 wagons long (typically when loaded about 120 tonnes gross each) was crossing from the 'coal lines' to the 'passenger lines' at the Broadmeadow/Newcastle Interchange (east) end of Maitland railway station, so it would appear all four tracks (two for each direction) are blocked.

Including coal trains at mine 'balloon loops' where they load precious black gold, there are at least 15 Newcastle-bound coal trains stopped or that will shortly be.

Empty trains are in some cases also northwest of Maitland - that is, near a mine or on the way to one - but unable to be loaded due to another train marooned at the mine.

At the coal loader end shipside (Port Waratah Coal Services or Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group), there are further empty coal trains that can't depart because they wouldn't get past the derailment site.

There is a chance that the loaded coal train was travelling at a slow speed when it derailed. Let's hope it turns out to only be a locomotive or two at the front of the coal train that derailed.

If so, while certainly not a five minute job to rectify (usually, cranes must be brought in, and these days they're road vehicles rather than years ago when railways had their own cranes on rail), it'll be somewhat easier than if a derailed wagon has torn up sleepers along the track.

If we're lucky (though I wouldn't bet London to a brick on it), before the ASX opens there may be public information tomorrow from the ARTC or ATSB (see above for what these abbreviations are).