From the Archives, 1971: Lucky escapes as Sydney-Melbourne express explodes
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By Staff Writers
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174 escape express blast
The driver and engineer of the Sydney-Melbourne Daylight Express jumped for their lives from the burning locomotive after an explosion ripped through the engine at 8.25 last night.
Firefighters battle the flames.
Seconds after the express stopped, the 172 passengers fled from the 15 carriages.
About 40 soldiers from Puckapunyal, who were on the train, helped young mothers carrying babies, and elderly couples.
The express was about 12 miles out, coming to Melbourne, near the Tullamarine freeway when the explosion ripped through the diesel locomotive. ....