NSW; Derailed train's black box never operational - Gov't

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NSW; Derailed train's black box never operational - Gov't

By Holly Nott

SYDNEY, Feb 1 AAP - Investigations into a fatal derailment south of Sydney suffereda setback today, with the NSW Government admitting the train's black box had never beenoperational.

The crucial data recorder was yesterday located undamaged in the wreckage of the commutertrain that derailed four kilometres south of Waterfall, killing eight people and injuringmore than 40 people.

Today, NSW Transport Minister Carl Scully said the data logger had only been installedtwo weeks prior to the crash and had not yet been fully modified and calibrated.

The black boxes, which record the train's speed and braking patterns, were one recommendationof the inquiry into the 1999 Glenbrook rail disaster.

Opposition Transport spokesman Peter Debnam today demanded to know why the governmenthad failed to implement safety measures recommended after the Glenbrook inquiry.

"I accept that there are other ways of estimating that information but the black boxis fitted for a very good reason," Mr Debnam said.

"Here we are a little more than three years (after the Glenbrook crash) and they're not fitted."

After touring the scene with Premier Bob Carr today, Mr Scully said black boxes wereinstalled on 80 per cent of intercity and suburban trains and were present in all CountryLink trains.

The roll-out of the $14 million safety measure was on schedule, with installation dueto be completed by March and calibrations to be finalised by the end of May, he added.

Mr Scully said the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) had initial concerns about the datarecorders but they had been resolved and had not delayed the roll-out.

"I share the disappointment of many that there was no useful information on that datalogger but the good news is that I am assured by the Rail Safety Regulator and by otherstaff that all of the things that the data logger would have recorded can be calculatedby other means," Mr Scully said.

The derailment occurred on a curved section of track with a 60kph speed limit, butsurvivors have reported feeling the train speed up shortly before impact.

Rail Safety Regulator Kent Donaldson said the section of track was not a particularlychallenging one for drivers.

"No, providing all the speed limits are adhered to, it's a grade one track," Mr Donaldsonsaid at the crash scene.

A mechanical and separate physical inspection of the section of track was carried outthe day before the accident, with Rail Infrastructure Corp (RIC) workers reporting nodefects, Mr Scully said.

The 6.24am (AEDT) train from Sydney Central Station derailed around 7.30am (AEDT) yesterdayon the Illawarra line en route to Port Kembla.

AAP hn/cdh/ts

KEYWORD: DERAIL BOX NIGHTLEAD