Re: Dubbo XPT hits truck

[Michael Kurkowski <mk@netstra.com.au>]

Nobodyhere <dweebken@yahoo.com.auNOSPAM> said:

>From what I saw of the footage, with the buckled track, it was amazing
>that no one was killed. There must have been an emergency brake
>application in time to prevent disaster. There were apparently 170 +
>passengers on the train - I think we can see the potential here. Anyone
>want to lobby for boom gates?

Ever heard of the old analogy "build a better mousetrap and god will create 
a better mouse". You only need to live in Melbourne to see this :-( 
Frequently, morons are driving around boom gates, because they expect that 
a train was supposed to go through but hasn't, so it won't come.

What needs to be done, is harsher controls on those who run level 
crossings. Introduce a public education campaign to teach people that a 
train can't stop in under 20 metres, let alone 200, combined with a system 
to detect offenders for the authorities to punish accordingly. This can be 
in the form of a 'red light camera' installed inconspicuously at random 
level crossings.

If indeed the lights were working why did the truck driver go through in 
the first place? If the lights were working, he should permanently lose his 
heavy vehicle licence.

If the lights weren't working, why was the train allowed to go through? 
Down here in Mexico, many of our level crossings are protected (home 
signals?) so if the gates aren't down and/or lights have failed, the train 
doesn't get a stick to proceed.

Right wingers and beancounters out there may say "but it's gunna cost us 
too much it will!", but the reality is, if it saves even one life, it's 
worth all the money it's going to cost. Surely it doesn't cost /that/ much 
to put up a simple television campaign, TAC style ("Car stops at level 
crossing, 30 seconds later driver looks left and right, then drives around 
boom gate only to meet up with about 1000 tonnes of non-stopping freight 
train").

Regards

Michael