Train toots too loud, says Clover
“Too many toots” says Clover Moore MP in her State News brochure, announcing a push to stop trains sounding their horns when entering and leaving railway tunnels at Kings Cross and Edgecliff. It seems residents have been complaining about the noise.
“Residents adjacent to the Eastern Suburbs Railway Line are wakened by train horns being sounded as early as 4:15am and as late as 1am,” says Cr Moore, referring to the extended hours of the weekend timetable.
But Cr Moore’s concern for sensitive voters ignores a strong risk that muted trains are more likely to kill and maim people and animals.
And if the move succeeds it will leave train drivers who run over people on the tracks potentially legally liable.
Bob Newham from the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) says drivers oppose the move.
“If you are driving at night, or coming into a tunnel it’s pitch dark,” he said.
“Drivers aren’t allowed to use the train’s headlights because they are really bright and would have impacts on road traffic. You can’t see anyone on or about the track and if you clean up four or five kids spraying graffiti it’s a disaster – even though they shouldn’t be there, their parents get really upset,” he said.
“After an accident like that, the first thing the Coroner asks is: ‘Did you sound your horn’,”.
“This move is a matter of serious concern to my brothers in the infrastructure division who are working on the tracks. You don’t hear trains until they are right on top of you because steel wheels on a steel rail are very quiet.”
Only last week a worker cleaning rubbish from the track at Kogarah Station was killed by a train at 1am.
Train crew also suffer badly when such accidents happen – the guard on the train at Kogarah was hospitalised from the shock. Trains can literally make mincemeat of a human being.
Mr Newham said Railcorp was moving to silence the horns across the whole CityRail system. He said the push originated in complaints by North Shore residents who also had complained about guards’ whistles and the recorded “Doors closing” alerts on passenger trains.
He said drivers would still be allowed to sound the horn when they see a person or animal “on or about the track” but there was still a safety issue at night, around tunnels and in the heavy fog often encountered in Sydney’s west.
The RTBU has questioned Railcorp about the legal protection of drivers if routine horn tooting is banned. He said Railcorp was confident it could protect drivers.
“But when you get into court anything is possible,” Mr Newham said.
Railcorp did not respond to questions.
by Michael Gormly
