Re: Driver Qualifications.

["Russell Norton" <russelln@primus.com.au>]

>I guess the thrust of my original question has been lost.
>What I  was trying to find out is how is the whole process started.
>eg lets assume that the Alice Springs to Darwin Railway is built.
>Obviously before the first train runs over the line , there is a need for
>someone to know the road , yet there is no one qualified to teach you as
>no one has yet driven a train over the new line.
>How does the first driver get qualified?
>The same scenerio could occur if a long closed line was re opened, eg
>say Coota to Tumut and there are no Freightcorp drivers still employed who
>know the road , how do we get going.?
>
>There must be a process to allow drivers to drive over a road they dont
know
>without instruction otherwise no new lines could ever be built.
>
>cheers
>MD
>
Numerous work trains e.g. ballast trains, would run over a new track prior
to it being officially opened. These trains would be piloted, at low speed,
by a track owner representative. Loco inspectors, of their equivalent, would
make familiarisation trips on these trains, and light engine runs, to gain
the necessary road knowledge to obtain initial accreditation.

A simplified overview, but hopefully this helps.

Regards,
Russ...