In April 2007, the Sydney bound Xplorer, having left Moree that morning, last safe-working stop Turrawan, south of Narrabri, runs through the level crossing at Baan Baa at speed, passes the Boggabri coal loop, stops for passengers at Boggabri and for the staff at Emerald Hill, then passes the coal stage outside Gunnedah, the old abattoir and flour mill before rolling into Gunnedah station, where shunters wait for it to pass before resuming their work with the Manildra Group flour wagons. The level crossing at Baan Baa features lights, bells and barriers, in a tiny village, while major crossings over highways have no boom gates. This is because in May 2004 a car across the rail line derailed the Down Moree Xplorer and killed the car driver. The lead car of the train stopped, on its side, over 400 metres beyond the crossing. The northwestern railway was closed for three days. In a typical over-reaction, the government slowed down all trains in NSW to a maximum of 120 kph, as if that would make any difference when hitting a stationary vehicle, and installed superfluous boom gates and lights at the hamlet of Baan Baa while all up and down this and other lines across the state remain half-controlled or uncontrolled level crossings.
