Re: What are the Proposed Radio Frequencies for the Broken Hill?

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <7kl4bm$1mt0$1@otis.netspace.net.au> "Robert Parnell" <rparnell@netspace.net.au> writes:
>From: "Robert Parnell" <rparnell@netspace.net.au>
>Subject: Re: What are the Proposed Radio Frequencies for the Broken Hill?
>Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 20:34:22 +1000



>>
>> I gather from Roberts comments that the SRA is about to introduce yet
>another
>> form of incompatible safeworking, ie all trains that run over the Broken
>Hill
>> line will now require Mobilesat Phones & all crews will have to qualified
>in
>> some form of SRA train order working.
>> Whilst the Feds are trying to get some agreement in  reducing the number
>of
>> incompatible safeworking & radiocom systems on the National Network we
>find
>> as usual that the States are doing exactly the reverse.
>> Im not surprised that the Feds have given up on Rail.
>>
>> MD
>>
>This is just an extension of the current form of safeworking in place from
>Orange to Parkes. They will require more than mobilesat phones - rather the
>CountryNet Train Radio system fitted to basically all Freightcorp locos and
>some NR locos. (Private/heritage operators will and have faced problems).
>Most crews would already be qualified for the Orange-Parkes section.


I understand what the SRA is trying to achieve with this.
Its an example though of re inventing the wheel.
ie to now run over the Broken-Hill -Parkes section every operator now has to 
comply with additional regulations , ie has to have yet another radio system 
fitted to their locos, at their own cost.
This doesnt do anything for their profitability, its just additional 
compliance costs.
Whilst for large players like freightcorp or NRC the additional costs are only 
a small percentage of their total operating budgets , its not the case for 
small operators who may wish to operate over the corridor in the future,eg ASR 
for example if they ever run into Sydney from Adelaide.
Surely if the SRA wanted to introduce a radio based system of Train Order 
working they could simply adopted what AN uses on the SA side of Broken Hill.
But of course we know that this will never happen , as Railways NEVER adopt 
safeworking or comm systems used by other Railways, just wouldnt be on.

The aviation industry has been able to come up with a common radio comm system 
that is used thru out the world , here in Australia we cant even come up with 
a common radio comms system for one state let alone the country.

Heaven help the Railways.
MD