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Late yesterday the Kankool derailment site was handed back by the rail safety regulators and planning for both removal of the derailed wagons and rectification of the track is underway.
19 wagons of the 82-wagon train derailed.
The rear section of the train and locomotives will be released from the site this morning
Heavy cranes will arrive on site to undertake wagon recovery the ARTC says.
The line is expected to be fully reopened by Friday.
Given the nature of the site and its proximity to the highway ARTC asks that motorists take care driving past the site. Traffic management is in place, however there have been a number of near misses with people stopping without warning to view the site.
EARLIER: COAL transported by rail from the area could be disrupted for days after an empty coal train derailed at Kankool shortly after 5am yesterday morning.
The 82-wagon train had about 18 wagons derail at 5.15am, closing the single line between Ardglen and Willow Tree.
Rail staff are believed to have been told the line would be out of action for up to four days.
An ARTC spokesman said the driver and crew escaped without injury but could not speculate on the cause of the derailment.
The line is the rail transport route for coal to the Port of Newcastle from mines in the Gunnedah, Boggabri and Werris Creek areas.
Passenger rail services between Sydney, Moree and Armidale have also been affected.
Rail safety regulators and Pacific National inspectors visited the site yesterday and the line will remain closed until investigations are finished.
Xplorer train services were replaced by coaches between Muswellbrook and Werris Creek for northbound passengers.
Those travelling to Sydney from Moree, were bussed between Werris Creek and Muswellbrook and there were coaches between Tamworth and Muswellbrook for southbound passengers from Armidale.
A NSW TrainLink spokesman said coaches would continue to replace trains between Werris Creek and Muswellbrook for the Armidale and Moree Xplorer services.
TrainLink said it would let its customers know when normal services resumed.
Pacific National said it would clear and repair the line before it was re-opened, but ARTC said they did not know when the single line would reopen at this stage.