IT was a chilling re-creation of a disaster still fresh in the minds of all Australians. A prime mover and a train again met at the scene of the Kerang rail tragedy yesterday in a reconstruction to gain some answers about how and why the crash occurred.

Members of the Victoria Police Major Collision Investigation Unit (MCIU) and V-Line officials used a three-carriage passenger train and a Kenworth truck to test driver visibility at the time of the accident. The reconstruction will hopefully gather evidence for the coroner, who is investigating the deaths of 11 passengers.

To simulate the accident, the same model truck involved in the crash last Tuesday was driven toward the rail crossing at different speeds, as an empty Kerang-bound train approached the intersection. Investigators used cameras and a helicopter to record what the train and truck driver would have seen moments before the crash.

MCIU Inspector Mick Talbot said the exercise would help determine whether the truck driver’s visibility was impaired, but said it would be months before investigators could draw any conclusions.

“We looked at everything. We looked at visibility from the truck, visibility from the train and camera angles from the ground and the helicopter to find out what may have happened,” Acting Inspector Talbot said.

Four tests were conducted at the same time of day as the crash occurred to make sure the sun and weather conditions were as similar as possible. The Murray Valley Highway was closed to traffic from 12.30pm and testing started at 1pm - the crash occurred at 1.35pm, a minute before the train was scheduled to arrive at Kerang.

Signal bells and lights were operating for each of the four tests, which simulated various combinations of speed and direction. Oncoming cars were placed on the opposite side of the road to re-create the vehicles waiting at the lights when the truck ploughed into the train. In each test, the truck stopped in the middle of the second carriage - the exact point where Christiaan Scholl’s truck hit the passenger train, ripping the carriage in half and sending the third carriage off the tracks.

At the time of the accident, the semi-trailer was loaded with automotive parts, machinery and plaster board.

Scholl, 48, has been charged with one count of culpable driving and is due to appear in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court on December 19.