Re: Train Accident in Blue Mountains

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@sd5.mailbank.com>]

John MacCallum wrote in message <3849993B.EE53A649@MYlisp.com.au>...

>I don't think that it is appropriate for this endless discussion
>and speculation about what happened or may have happened.

I have not speculated. Someone said the driver was told to "ignore" the
signals. All I was doing is saying why this could not have happened.

>This dreadful event is the subject of multiple inquires and
>we on the outside looking in do not have enough information
>to know exactly what happened.

You do not understand human nature then if you expect people not to discuss
the incident.

>I personally know Kevin Sinnet and I also know the Driver of the
>Indian Pacific. Both of these men I consider to be not only good
>and decent human beings but also very competent train Drivers.

And I know other drivers who have been involved in "incidents". I thought
much the same thing about discussion of incidents that they were involved
in. But afterwards, I realised that I was too close to the issue and the
people involved.

>Sad facts are that this obviously should never have been able
>to occur and that the procedures set out in the Safe Working units
>covering passing Signal at stop in Track Block and Automatic
>failed.

No argument there.

>Kevin is understandably very distressed and as you can appreciate
>wants the truth to come out. He is not concerned for his himself
>and as always is the case with him he wants to do the right thing.
>I only hope that the powers that be are as fair dinkum as Kevin!

As do we all, but I think that the authorities will be looking for a
scapegoat. At least with a judicial inquiry that is less likely to happen
than if it were an internal inquiry, although it will depend on the
inquiries terms of reference, although even there, I have a good feeling.
McInerney has a reputation as a judge of integrity, and would not have
accepted the commission if he was not satisfied that he would be able to get
to the truth - if the terms of reference were written in such a way as to
exonerate the government, and lay blame elsewhere, he would not have taken
it on.

Dave