Re: Vale Vic Steam (and all special trains?)

["Grahame Ferguson" <grahamef@users.mcmedia.com.au>]

Eddie Oliver wrote in message <3AC0A491.D20BA7C0@efs.mq.edu.au>...
>Frank Jones wrote:
>>
>> Many problems arise from the 'accredited operator' status (or
>> otherwise) of the various groups. You see, *none* of the groups in
>> Vic. (unlike say RTM in NSW) are accredited operators in their own
>> right.
>
>Why not? That seems to be a key to the problem.

Why not is the KEY to the problem indeed.

To be an operator requires many more hours of proceedure writing,
consultancies etc.

Time and money that volunteer organisations do not have.  A vast deversion
of resouces from restoring and maintaining rolling stock, to the equivilent
of a quality assurance department.  It requires many hours of book work and
proceedure auditing to achieve the status of an accredited supplier of
rolling stock and to stay at that standard, for which all are annually
audited.  To be an accredited operator in Victoria is a quantum leap.  It is
one which all desire to attain, but in the short term it is not possible!