Concord West - Availability of Accident Report

["Chris Downs" <cvdowns@hermes.net.au>]

Does anyone know:

a)    Is the Concord West accident report publicly available?

b)    If so, where can I lay my hands on a copy (preferably electronic)?

I'm curious as to whether or not any consideration was given to the
ambiguous nature of Green over Yellow indications.

For those unfamiliar with NSW suburban signalling in the Concord West area,
on a straight line run (ie no turnouts) from an all clear signal to one at
danger the consecutive signal aspects are:

Green over Green
Green over Yellow
Green over Red
Red over Red over Green (trip raised and lowers on a time release)
Red over Red.

When approaching a turnout the usual conseutive signal aspects from all
clear are:

Green over Green
Green over Yellow
Yellow over Yellow (turnout indication - also all clear).

I appears that the situation at Concord West was/is:

Green over Green
Green over Yellow
Green over Yellow (again, ie repeated))
Yellow over Yellow.

This is a fast section of track (115km/h for suburbans).  The signals are
fairly close and the line curves to the left (when city bound as this train
was) on a 5,600m radius curve.  I don't know to what extent the approach
signals are obscured or whether or not both green over yellows were visible
at any time.

It'd be possible to think two consecutive green over yellows was a result of
gaining on a train ahead.  If the driver thought this then a fullish service
brake application (in a Tangara at least) would be achievable from 115km/h,
after sighting a green over red, so as not to be tripped by the following
red over red over green.

If this were the situation the expected green over red would actually have
been yellow over yellow.  Where the train could safely pass the green over
red at 100km/h plus and be confident of not being tripped at the red over
red over green, the 25km/h turnout immediately past the yellow over yellow
would bring the train  unstuck.

As an aside it appeared that the train in question actually survived the
turn out at high speed.  It failed to cope with the reverse curve however.

Anyway, any comments on accessing the report?

TIA

Chris