Reporting Rail-related emergencies

[arthur marsh <marsh@ties.itu.int>]

After the responses to Mr Walding of ASR's post I did some checking of how
one can sensibly report a rail-related emergency.

ASR's main published number could not connect me directly to Mr Walding -
they had to give me his direct number - which is ludicrous in these days
when Telstra offer the means to do so (eg Centel).

ASR do have a published emergency number - 08 8343 7730 but it's on page
115 of the Adelaide White Pages under AustraliaN Southern Railroad Pty
Ltd. If you search www.whitepages.com.au the entry is under AustraliA
Southern Railroad. The electronic whitepages search engine will NOT
suggest an entry containing "Australia " if you search for "Australian"
(nor suggest a singular form if you enter a plural).

Transport SA Rail Operations and Safety (08) 8343 2596 did not give me a
very encouraging picture of the current state of affairs.

On contacting ARTC (08) 8217 4366 the operator gave me the direct lines
for the Train Transit Managers, one of whom told me NOT to disclose the
numbers. He instead suggested that people should contact the police
through 000/112 and state that one was reporting a rail emergency.

The SA Police told me that they would not take kindly to reports of non
life threatening situations - they did not consider "hot boxes" or freight
wagon derailments a life threatening emergency. This was said when a large
percentage of 000/112 calls aren't even any kind of emergency.

NRC were far more helpful. They are happy to take reports of rail-related
emergencies for all track under ARTC control through their Network
Coordinators on 1800 550 031 and 1800 550 032, including reports of hot
boxes, track damage or in general anything requiring urgent action, as
they considered a hot box a derailment in the making and hence a life
threatening situation. The NRC gentleman was keen for members of the
public to report any emergency situations in the interests of protecting
lives, property and the operation of the rail network.

Mr Walding however in a telephone conversation I had with him went on
about ASR's Public Liability insurance costs without giving due credit to
the fact that the public can be a railway's asset.

Arthur.