NSW train safety system still to be completed 20 years after tragedy
Installation of the system on the Tangara trains — the same type that derailed at Waterfall two decades ago — was originally scheduled to be completed by mid-2018. A major technological upgrade of Tangara trains to keep them running is at least three years late.
Labor Transport spokeswoman Jo Haylen said it was disappointing that a critical recommendation to introduce automatic train protection had been repeatedly delayed with no explanation given to the traveling public.
Police and rescue workers at the scene of the accident south of Waterfall Station on January 31, 2003.Credit:Andrew Meares
“Commuter safety must be a top priority for any government and every passenger has the right to feel safe on our public transport network,” she said.
Transport Secretary David Elliott said he had been closely monitoring the complex project and was pleased there was an end date for its completion.
Loading
“Today, on the 20th anniversary of the waterfall train crash, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed and injured,” he said.
The country’s decades-old K and V passenger trains have not been fitted with the technology as they are due to be phased out in the next two years. Her retirement depends on when a multi-billion dollar fleet of new intercity trains, which were the focus of a protracted row between the government and unions last year, goes into service.
Rail Tram and Bus Union Secretary of State Alex Claassens said it was “amazing” how long it had taken to complete the rollout of the train protection system.
“It is clear that we must learn from these serious accidents and they must be addressed quickly,” he said. “Twenty years to implement a set of recommendations is pretty ordinary.”
Loading
A final report by investigators into a 2018 north-west Sydney passenger train crash found it likely would have been prevented had an automatic train protection system been installed. The Waratah train ran into a security barrier at Richmond station, injuring 16 people.
The rollout of the automatic protection technology on the track infrastructure was completed last year and is now operational. As part of this work, more than 2,600 beacons with specific data were installed along 600 kilometers of track.
The Morning Edition Newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/two-decades-after-waterfall-crash-train-safety-system-yet-to-be-completed-20230127-p5cfwn.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national_nsw NSW train safety system still to be completed 20 years after tragedy
