During the early hours of Christmas Eve, two freight trains collided in the Avon Valley. Tragically, a Pacific National driver was killed.  The names of the driver has not yet been publicly released.

The RTBU expresses its deepest sympathies to the friends, families and colleagues of the driver involved.

The WA rail freight industry is a close community - from Geraldton to Esperance and towards the South Australian border. We are a family and we all feel the pain.

This Christmas will be a time when the railway community will come together and look after each other. It will be a time to reflect and appreciate our co-workers.

I would like to thank the emergency services who responded. Our hearts and thanks also go out to the recovery crews who will work this Christmas.