Re: Mark's Marvellous Map of Bendigo?

["Rod" <berlina@bigpond.com>]

>Why can't the second person take the train order over the ttb radio
>while the driver drives the train? Seems to work okay in SA. It would
>also enhance the arguement to keep trains two person crewed.


Beats me! The union has little input on Safeworking matters...thems the
SafeWorking Departments Rules!


>
>In practical terms what is the difference between the 2nd person
>operating a switchlock or a box (assuming thbat they have been trained
>in that particular box)? Again it might just inprove the arguement for
>keeping two people on a train.


  I think that those trains still with a second person aboard already have
enough on their plate without doing everyone else's job also.
As example.

Driver and Second man arrive Wodonga 2230 hrs. Second man walks the train to
ensure it is intact and still has a ETM working on the tuther end [it has
been sitting in an unmanned yard since 1730 hrs.]
Driver goes to Signal box and gets his T.O. and Master Key, verifies order.
Returns to Engine and tests Locomotive Brake. (brakes have been done by the
Driver off the Pilot)
Departs when the Second man returns.
Train Arrives Wangaratta. Second Man takes the Master Key and ..uncouples
the train at the correct spot,
sends the locomotive out bejond the points, unlocks them and rides the lead
vehicle into the shed, unlocks the derail, couples to the loading, and if he
is a Driver examines the brakes.[Drivers job if not] Out on to the main,
secures the points with the master key, couples to the train, continuity
brake test and returns to the Engine, departs for Benalla.
             Under the proposed rules, on arrival at the up home, the
qualified man will operate the points in a similar way as Wangaratta. But at
the Melbourne end, he will need to operate the Benalla signal box to get
across the road xing, out on to the bridge and back into the shed and
reverse to get back on his train.
Even if they close the box and remove/replace the point rodding, will cause
a serious delay to the running of this train. This train runs non-time
sensitive goods at the moment. New Owners will need to concentrate on
all Freight available, if they are to increase loadings in the N.East.
Trucks will run rings around us if we do not concentrate on lifting our
game, but decide to sack all the experts we have left and replace them with
a Jack of all Trades who knows everything, but can do only one or two things
properly, the rest poorly.
             I would personally like a good guard second person to be with
me, than a second driver!
I do not wish to do shunting, or signalling or anything else, except what I
have trained for! My union says that I am greedy, I say the reverse is true,
why pay a crew $2x, when you can get a better job done for $1.5x.
And the driver then does what he has trained for. Multi Skilling is slowing
everybody down.
I read with interest late last year, on one of the other news groups, where
British and some European Railways were undoing this rot for similar reasons
to mine.
Perhaps some comment from Europe is available??