Re: Beresfield Accident Findings

["Robert Bushby" <romanabt@tassie.net.au>]

A lot of great ideas about train safety devices, but how come we have to
refer to British and Burlington type remedies! What's wrong with the
systems in place in that sunny state north of the Border Loop spiral - or
is that being too parochial for all you NSW types and its archaic old
English style railway system!!! I supose the good old QR (Quaint and Ratly)
can afford such luxuries as they don't have to fund an Olympics - even
their mainline tracks don't float, but then they are only 3ft 6inches
apart!! But their transponder and auto train control systems have been
around for a while, and they are very effective. And the expertise and the
technology is in place and proven - all 613 miles north of Sydney!

Like the roster clerks, when the various arms of the NSW railways get real
and realise that it is nearly 2000 and work practices and needs have
changed from the steam days, and start to run a railway to serve their
customers, and not their own agenda's, then there might be some progress up
there. They have been talking about new radio systems and train order
working, and rail access for as long as most of us care to remember, but
they have more excuses why such things can't be implimented "just yet" than
the rest of us mere enthusiasts can even dream about. No doubt the PTU also
has much to say about such new ideas - they are probably as much to blame
for the inherited rostering "accepted" practices in force as the roster
clerks. It's like the wharves - the bosses and the union are both equaly
culpible for not introducing or allowing new work practices - but the only
ones who are missing out are the locomen themselves. Other industries have
been able to work through similar issues - many responsible trucking
companies have fatigue management programs and sensible rostering in place
for their drivers thanks to inititives from the NTF safety programs. 

Its about time someone got their act together up their in the "premier
state"! It's still a great railway system to model, but at least in model
form, you can leave out all the bulls***  and really see where the real
railway has gone so wrong  - they call it "Modellers Licence".

Rob
from the home of the Mt Lyell ABT Railway (3ft 6in gauge)
and the Romanabt Bernese Mountain Dogs
and the South Coast Extended of the NSWGR (HO gauge)
Queenstown, Tas.