Re: [QLD] Photostops

[James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au>]

Why can't they have pre planned photostops, similar to what we do in Victoria?
This would make it a little bit harder for slack managers to take the easy way
out because it would be pre planned and already considered "safe". On the
Cairns tour we just went along until they saw a spot that looked "safe" and
then we stopped.

Graham Watkins wrote:

> The QR Safety Management System says that passengers may only board or
> detrain at designated passenger set down points. The Safety Management
> System also provides for doing things differently by preparing a safety
> case.
>
> The real problem is some managers take the easy way out and do nothing to
> enable photostops to be held - just simply banning them because they think
> they may be liable in the event of an injury to someone or it is simply too
> much trouble.
>
> Also many railway people still do not understand or accept the current
> structure of QR where the business groups are in effect treated like third
> party operators in which case Traveltrain would be responsible for the
> operation of the train.
>
> Steam tours are run by QR Heritage which is a part of Traveltrain - a
> separate group. Most of the crews are provided by Citytrain except in the
> country where they are provided by one of the freight groups.
>
> On a typical QR steam tour, there is usually a loco crew (2 man -
> Citytrain), may also be the Driver-in-Charge Heritage (Citytrain), Guard
> (Citytrain), Inspector (Freight Operations), Fire patrol following on
> hi-rail vehicle (2 man - Infrastructure Services).
>
> On a recent tour, we were not allowed to have a photostop on the single
> line range section because there was no where "safe" to get out. Instead,
> the Inspector allowed a photostop on a double track section at a platform.
> Only problem was we had to cross to the other side of the track via a level
> crossing just as a grain train came through - this was considered safe as
> there was a platform (not used by any regular trains now) and the level
> crossing was a public place. This Inspector has recently retired so things
> may improve now.



--
- James Brook -

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