Yes, a lot of track upgrading was done, but I have
considerable doubts about the cost-effectiveness of much of
it. Plasser Australia must have made an absolute fortune
selling track maintenance machinery to SRA, but when I saw
some of it in 1982, it was being very, very inefficiently
used. I also saw where new track had been laid in very dirty
ballast because track drainage had not been improved. I
suspect that quite a lot of money was spent on extra staff
and senior staff salaries also.
Just another public service boondoggle...........but it was
effective to the extent that no other really bad accudent
occurred.
If the inquiry were held again today, it is probable that
more attention would have been directed to organisational
issues. Lack of money is not an excuse for running trains at
speed on bad track. A compatent inspection and monitoring
regime would have had the train speeds reduced to a level
where safe passage was possible.