Re: Derailment at Concort West - Reason

["Michael Walker" <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

>The loco eng did not
>recognise the implication of the changed signal (a caution signal one
signal
>earlier than he was expecting) and hit a turnout at speed. He saw the
signal,
>but he interpreted it to fit in with the expectation he had formed of the
train
>movement.
>
>My recommendation was that Tranz Rail should train its controllers to
recognise
>that a loco eng on his own may be lulled into a routine way of thinking and
may
>not interpret an unexpected signal correctly. Tranz Rail more or less told
me to
>get stuffed, and blamed the loco eng 100%. The investigation, and Tranz
Rail's
>response, are contained in the report issued by the Transport Accident
>Investigation Commission in NZ.
>
At the risk of being severely flamed and sent lewd pictures in my e-mail,
shouldn't the loco driver take at least some of the blame. After all, he DID
misread the signal. Or are signals in New Zealand prone to ambiguity?
In addition, after recent debates on signaling, shouldn't there be enough
warning from the first caution signal to slow down to an acceptable speed to
be able to safely take the points? Or are the speed restrictions applicable
by such signal indications incorrectly set by a big enough margin for train
drivers to be able to take points at too high a speed whilst within the
correct authorised speed limit for a caution signal?
If NZ signals are ambiguous and speeds under caution are too high over
there, then the engine driver would be relatively innocent. Otherwise in a
worst case scenario he was driving too fast and at least partially ignored a
signal indication in which case he SHOULD take some of the blame.
I guess I just get annoyed at the hand-holding that seems to be expected in
this response - the train controller might as well drive the train for him
if he needs to tell him the signal indications and point settings in
advance. If a particular train driver cannot respond accurately to
unexpected signals then either his training has been inadequate or he
shouldn't be driving.
If I am being unreasonable then please post why.