Re: Black boxes for all trains

[Chris Henman <chris.henman@zxenad.com.au>]

David Bromage wrote:

> Every train will be fitted with aircraft-style black box data loggers
> within 18 months following the release yesterday of the final Glenbrook
> inquiry report.  The devices, costing $10 million, were one of 95
> recommendations by Justice Peter McInerney in his third report following
> the December 1999 tragedy, this time focusing on rail safety. CityRail
> announced yesterday that it would begin installing the data loggers as
> soon as possible to all electric trains, while diesels such as the XPT
> and Endeavour already have them.
>
> http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,1889611%255E421,00.html
>
> [Do FreightCorp locos have them? What about NR, NRR, GN, CFLC, and all
> other operators in NSW? What about heritage locomotives?]

A fine idea, particularly for new vehicles; but what about the roads?

If one considers the ratio of freight moved by rail as against road and the
ratio of accidents by rail against road, would it not be far more
reasonable to make it a requirement to fit black boxes to long haul road
vehicles before fitting them to rail vehicles?  Another impost on the road
freight business?  Yes, and not unreasonably so.  If road freight were
required to comply with the safety standards of the railways they would, by
virtue of fuel inefficieny, be out of business.

Sorry for the rambling but lets look at the real problem.

csh