GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY

Local governments urged to improve Sri Lanka’s 706 unprotected rail crossings

The Sri Lankan Railway Department has called upon local government authorities to install either automatic rail gates or bamboo gates at unprotected railway crossings countrywide. Railway Superintendent Vijaya Samarasinghe said, “all roads countrywide belong to Provincial Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas and not the Railway Department. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the local authorities to provide adequate protection to vehicle owners and pedestrians."

INDUSTRY

RailCorp responds to CBD rail corridor claims

CityRail and Sydney Metro are working together to improve public transport across Sydney, including the CBD, RailCorp has announced. Responding to recent media reports, RailCorp said there were no competing agendas and CityRail and metro services will complement one another. Sydney Metro Stage 1, Central to Rozelle, is the first part of a wider metro network for Sydney that will take rail to new places and corridors currently serviced by buses and cars. It will also serve a more immediate need to create additional capacity in the CBD, taking pressure off CityRail and bus services.

Performance on track in September

Connex carried an extra 400,000 passengers whilst still delivering 99.3% of services in September, running 92.1% of services on time. September saw an additional 2,065 extra train services on top of the 55,696 monthly timetabled services.

Metrolink drivers to be monitored by video camera

Metrolink has announced plans to activate video cameras in all of its commuter trains. Metrolink is Southern California's regional commuter rail service, serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Riverside counties covering 52 passenger trains. The decision comes after a Metrolink passenger train collided head-on with a Union Pacific freight train on 12 September 2008, killing 25 people. The Metrolink engineer who was killed, was found to have been text messaging only seconds before the crash. Metrolink announced that its trains will have cameras pointing into each locomotive's cab as well as cameras facing outward to record activity in front of the train. Audio will also be recorded. The union representing the nation's train engineers opposes putting cameras in the trains, and some safety experts question its efficacy.

AAR reports rail traffic remains down

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported 271,659 carloads for the week ending 26 September 2009, down 17.1% compared with the same week in 2008. The traffic numbers were affected by severe flooding in Tennessee and Georgia, which halted freight shipments in those areas from 21-23 September. Flooding also impacted the western freight carriers who operate through Atlanta. At this time, freight rail operations have returned to normal. Regionally, carloadings were down 15.5% in the West and 19.3% in the East. Intermodal traffic of 205,627 trailers or containers on US Railroads was down 16.5% from the same week last year. Container volume fell 11% and trailer volume dropped 37.2%.

UK trains maintain high levels of punctuality

The past month has seen the UK's train service maintain its record high levels of punctuality with the release of the latest performance results showing 93.6% of trains arrive on time. In its regular monthly performance update, Network Rail announced that period six (23 August to 19 September) proved to be one of the highest on record. Robin Gisby, director of operations and customer service said, “passengers have seen good train punctuality over the past six months and our challenge is to maintain comparatively high levels in the autumn months ahead."

Rail accident likelihood at an historic low

The UK rail industry’s safety performance has progressively advanced to a point where the likelihood of a passenger being involved in a train accident is now at an historical low according to the latest Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) report to be released later this month. Statistics issued by RSSB establish rail as the safest form of land transport in the UK, whilst clearly identifying the remaining risk that needs to be managed.

ACCIDENTS

ATSB releases report on Birkenhead collision

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its report into the level crossing collision at Birkenhead on 5 March 2008. A double road-train loaded with bulk cement drove into the path of a train that was conveying four empty fuel tankers at the Stirling Street level crossing. The road-train driver was slightly injured, with the two train drivers shaken but otherwise unhurt. The investigation concluded that it is likely the road-train did not stop at the stop sign assembly, and travelled over the Stirling Street level crossing at a relatively constant speed of about 15 km/h. Safety issues identified by the investigation relate to compliance of the level crossing with relevant standards, notification to the rail infrastructure manager of a non-compliance identified at audit and the issuing of Heavy Vehicle Permits (HVP) for road-train routes that involve level crossings.

Driver of derailed train may have been asleep

A Thai train derailed killing 7 people and injuring 81 on its way to Bangkok on 5 October. The overnight passenger train, travelling from southern Trang province to Bangkok, came off the tracks in heavy rain 13 kilometres south of Hua Hin town. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor has said that the accident may have been caused by the driver falling asleep. Investigations are continuing, with another source claiming the train went through a rail-switching signal. Rail services in the south, which were suspended as a result of the incident, resumed on 6 October.