Re: Email to John Laws regarding comments this morning

["Garry Hoddinett" <hoddos@netspace.net.au>]

Dave Proctor <daproc@spambait.umpires.com> wrote in message
836t7j$aha$1@news1.mpx.com.au">news:836t7j$aha$1@news1.mpx.com.au...
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Proctor <thadocta@dingoblue.net.au>
> To: fortress@ozemail.com.au <fortress@ozemail.com.au>
> Date: Wednesday, 15 December 1999 1:00
> Subject: Blacktown resignalling and on air comments
>
> Dear John,
>
> I was listening to your program this morning, and was somewhat disturbed
by
> your comments regarding the misrouting of a Blue Mountains train at
> Blacktown yesterday morning.
>
> You compared the misrouting with the tragedy that occurred at Glenbrook 13
> days ago, and said that it was yet another example of things falling to
> pieces on our railways. You implied that there was a breach of safety in
> this instance.
>
> Whilst I accept that you are an entertainer and not a journalist, I would
> have though that a media personality of your stature would have at least
> checked your facts as to what occurred, rather than merely taking the
Daily
> Telegraph's spiel on what occurred.
>
> For the record, the route that the Blue Mountains train was accidentally
> placed on is a route that is used countless times per day by trains
destined
> for Richmond. The route is fully signalled, and the signals were working
at
> the time of this incident. The driver of the Blue Mountains train did not
> pass any red signals, all signals were set to proceed.
>
> There was no breach of safety. The signalling system was functional, and
> would have prevented any conflicting movement by other trains.
>
> Your implication that the safety of the NSW rail system is falling to
pieces
> is nothing more than blatant scare mongering, and is beneath you.
>
> For the record, I am NOT a rail employee, and I have no axe to grind on
this
> matter.
>
> David Proctor
> thadocta@dingoblue.net.au
>
Well said.  Perhaps CityRail should enter some secret sponsorship with Mr
Laws to further their cause.  Perhaps Mr Laws has some secret sponsorship
arrangement with Mr Murdoch to publicize his papers headlines?

More seriously though, Mr Laws comments are misplaced but non the less it
was it was bloody incompetence on the part of CityRail.  I suspected
something was wrong when the train started going up the Seven Hills
flyover - this should surely have been an extremely rare movement for an
Interurban - why didn't the driver query the signal?  It then should have
been further obvious to an experienced Interurban driver that something must
be wrong if the signal also indicates he is to proceed up the Richmond
branch - again why didn't he query it?