Re: Riggs Creek Smash

["Rod [comtrain]" <Comtrain@optusnet.com.au>]

>I think it is about time Freight Australia had a good look at there
>safety or there lack of, as all they seam to care about is getting the
>train there on time.  There safety record is shit.  They don't have
the>.locos to pull there trains, but they keep crashing them, and smashing
>up there wagons.  Some of the more known incidents so far are:
>Ararat
>Tongala
>Oaklands
>Riggs Creek

I think you listed all the incidents, but you are not being very fair!
Ararat, was caused by a "nice" guy who was not employed on the Engine, but
thought he was helping out!
The safety aspect that I object to, is that under Victorian Railways Rules,
the points would have been locked with a frame, not a padlocked/ master key
which was available for anyone to use to set up this dangerous situation.The
"key" would have been in the hands of the Driver.
Tongala was caused by a bloody Truck Driver, disobeying road rules.
as was Oaklands.
Riggs Creek Loop was caused by crew fatigue, and that has been an age old
problem, which causes all Railways grief at some time or other.
It would not cost Freight Australia $100,000 to track circuit Riggs Creek
Loop and install Signals, even if they only showed red when the points were
fouled, or out of service! I would not want them called Homes, I would
prefer Point Indicator. It probably WILL cost them $100000 or more for this
accident, when you consider how many trains were delayed on the SG.
The Driver of 9357 sat in the seat, as he dragged his knees around, he
knocked the throttle, into Run 1, and as the independent brake, only inches
away was not fully set, the A Class edged forward at about 2 km per hour.
The Headlight was still on low. The second person might have noticed the
vehicles passing, but as he felt NO movement of the A class assumed that the
other train was departing. He was handed the train to base handset, by the
Driver, who lent forward to put the lights up on high beam. The second
Person put on his glasses and began dictating times to the Train Controller,
when at that instant he was thrown forward on impact, of about 2 kph. For
the crew, just bloody bad luck!
The night was very Dark, at Riggs Creek, their are no lights at all, signals
or otherwise. The old red louvres are dark, as are the Dirty Yellow Hoppers,
and the new ones are Green, near black........When your luck's out ...it
really does cause you grief.
The old  Rules and Regs, were designed to save the pain of these accidents,
but mostly were designed to place the blame on the Driver, no matter what.
The new regulations, are there to shoot the driver still, but the safeguards
are all gone. Riggs Creek is a prime example, as was Ararat. For years and
years the Victorian Government has been saved by good Drivers and Firemen,
whose diligence saved many, many incidents.Now we are all working 10 times
harder than we ever did, and many hours longer. My last Salary was $32,000
pa but I actually earned $60,000 in a full year.
Crews in some other Depots, are earning better than $100,000. Can you
imagine how much O/T that is. They would be giving up all their Off days,
and forgoing Annual Leave...they would be mentally and Physically exhausted.
I cannot blame them, but we can all blame Say V/Line Freight [Victorian
Government] for cutting Costs and pruning everything back these last 5
years, and also blame Freight Australia for  continuing it along these money
saving methods these last 18 months.
How many people have been employed to make sure the old men Driving the
Trains [our average age is 48 years according to the Union]   Are not also
running along the Ground doing the shunts, Jumping on and off the moving
trucks, trying to hold on to Flat trucks handrails that are located lower
than our bums, and also using their radios whilst arthritic fingers of one
hand held straight down towards the low handrail , try to stop their bodies
being thrown forward, off the step as the train runs in and out on the
couplings. Then as they are thrown off, running along in front so as not to
fall under the train! I have been there, done that, and I ran...straight
into early retirement. Freight Australia need to preserve their experienced
Drivers, but they need to bring back the second man to do all the things the
young blokes always did on this job, as well as set themselves up for
Drivers of the [near] future.
Believe me FREIGHT AUSTRALIA are not the only ones! They are more or less
all the same.
Rod [comtrain]