Re: Concord derailment

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

>today. If one safewokring rule can be broken for expediency, all rules can
>be broken for expediency.
>
Alas, it's not just State Rail (or CityRail). If Victorian train drivers are
to be believed, they are encouraged to not perform all safety checks of
their trains prior to each journey as it takes too long. According to some
it has reached the point where the timetable allows less  time to turn a
train around than would be required if they actually did the brake check,
and all the rest of the things they are theoretically supposed to do. Yet it
is the train driver who cops it when the mechanical system fails for not
performing the checks.

Having said that two thoughts occur:
1. What likelihood brake failure in the Concord accident - this may
partially explain away the drivers blame in the circumstance.
2. How much of this is to be believed? Is it just train drivers whinging or
is there something in it?