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

[keithm@happy.dca.gov.au (Dave Malcolm)]

In article <37c4702c.3609577@news.bigpond.com> gonoNOCRAP@bigpond.com writes:
>From: gonoNOCRAP@bigpond.com
>Subject: Re: Indian Pacific hits freight train - Who's the Responsible
>Investigating body?
>Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 22:41:43 GMT

>On Thu, 26 Aug 1999 02:07:02 +1000, David Johnson
><trainman@ozemail.com.au> wrote:

>>Exnarc wrote:
>>
>>> 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!!!
>>
>>In all accidents, there a number of contributing factors.  The Tangara (which
>>was on the main North, not the North Shore) was doing just under the track
>speed
>>for the section.  The driver was then faced with a turnout signal that he was
>>not expecting for a number of reasons.  It should all be in the report.
>>
>>> likewise the
>>> prang with 3801 a few years ago wasn't a NRC crew either.
>>
>>This was not crew error.  That was caused by too much sand on the track and the
>>signalling system not being able to cope with it.
>>
>>The majority of NRC crews are very professional and do an excellent job under
>>trying conditions.  There are, however, a few cowboys who give the rest a bad
>>name.
>Come on David the sand on Cowan bank thing was a major cop out i do
>not believe for one second the whole train was insulated from the
>track circuit the probability of that would be infinitesimal that
>story was to appease the press!!!
>regards Paul Johnston (MNRC)

Hear hear, no one seems to take into account the chances of an entire train of 
somewhere around 42 axles (2 of which are infront of the sand pipes) being 
isolated from the track circuit. I dont care what the inquiry findings were 
logic says it's not going to happen.

Dave Malcolm