Re: Indian Pacific hits freight train - Who's the Responsible Investigating body?

["Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au>]

Dave Malcolm <keithm@happy.dca.gov.au> wrote in message
keithm.312.37C3B087@happy.dca.gov.au">news:keithm.312.37C3B087@happy.dca.gov.au...
> In article <37c38e5b.27804475@news.ozemail.com.au> pbeam@lisp.com.au
(Peter) writes:
> >From: pbeam@lisp.com.au (Peter)
> >Subject: Re: Indian Pacific hits freight train - Who's the Responsible
> >Investigating body?
> >Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 06:40:33 GMT
>
>
> >>
> >>>Here in NSW in the area that I'm in we have had two cases where NRC
> >>>crews haven't followed the safeworking. NRC crews run long distance
> >>>and long hours that go with the long distance, with little or no
> >>>chance for relief, so they appear not to be to concerned with doing
> >>>the right thing, just getting to their destination. Of course no NRC
> >>>employee would criticize NRC, because if they di they would be
> >>>ostracized by his so called work mates.
> >>
> >>I wouldn't pick on NRC crews for not following safeworking rules. I have
seen
> >>SRA crews do the same thing.
>
> >Well Dave it has only been the last tewlve to 18 months the NRC crews
> >have been running in our area, and from what I have seen of them they
> >aren't real crash hot. Not to say that SRA crews are perfect, just
> >that NRC crews run long distance which means long hours and no relief
> >when things go wrong. Trust me delays happen and these NRC crews don't
> >like beging delayed, their go go go, no matter what.
> >Peter
>
> I wasn't doubting they do take short cuts, but so does evey one else.
>
> Dave Malcolm

Dave,

Some sanity at last.

This whole privitisation has put pressure on everyone, the problem with rail
in Australia is that its got no proper regulation (unlike the UK and USA),
something went wrong at Zanthus and if the crews are at fault they will have
to answer for it, but I could probably (if I had time) come up with rule and
speed breaches for any of the rail operators in Australia.

What caused that derailment of the Tangara on the North Shore a few months
ago?? Speed I would assume, that wasn't an NRC crew was it!!! likewise the
prang with 3801 a few years ago wasn't a NRC crew either.

I do agree with Peter on one point, NRC do push their crews to hard, as do
ASR (they are the worse operators in the country when it comes to over
working crews) but unfortunately this is the future, until we have an
independant  regulator like the FRA we will see hours increase and crew
fatigue become the norm.

Freight Corp will also go this way, as pressure to make profits (or at least
cover costs) will force management to make crews to do more and do it for
longer shift.

Bob.