Re: Beresfield Accident Findings

[Bob <gioia@fastlink.com.au>]

wallaby@fl.net.au wrote:

> In article <35495FDF.5C4DDB6F@fastlink.com.au>#1/1,
>   Bob <gioia@fastlink.com.au> wrote:
> > > >Burlington Northern was using such a system over a decade ago. Train
> > > >controllers could use what they called "remote intervention" and activate
> > > >the train brakes if necessary.
> > in the suburban area with trips at all signals. This would stop any train
>
> I know the enginemen hate the thought of it,  but wouldn't it be simpler to
> install a vigilance device in parallel with or in lieu of the deam man device
> on electric trains?
>
> Sure,  this doesn't protect against colour blindness or lack of concentration,
> but by the look of the post on Beresfield,  the cause was *sleep*,  and a
> dead-man handle or pedal(like the XPT or Tangara) would prevent accidents
> caused by sleep or some other fit or attack which would prevent an engineman
> from operating the train properly.
>

In all honesty any sort of vigi system or dead man device is not perfect. I know
of drivers that push the vigi button while they are asleep in bed! I suppose that
it just becomes a habit. What about the British AWS set up. Could this system be
used in NSW?Bob