Well ICE only ever has to been seen as a safety threat once then the aluminium house of cards falls in .
ARTC are not untouchable and are not the safety regulators . They don't rule supreme and don't own ANY rail infrastructure at least on the east coast , the plug can be pulled on them very easily if necessary . JH in NSW s living proof that ARTC is a long way from perfect and have been sent packing because of it . Don't think it can't happen again .
Is the NTCS system a safety threat

Then let the chips hit the fan and fall where they may because ARTC and anyone else is not above it. Nothing new there.
It is ARTC's responsibility to make infrastructure management and investment decisions. They do so under long term agreements between the infrastructure owners and the federal government. There appears no move to change that. In any case if ARTC was to disappear tomorrow someone would pick up the lot including the NTCS.
Now what the heck has the CRN has got to do with it???? That was a separate arrangement which expired and John Holland picked up a new different contract. Regardless that didn't stop NSW handing over the rest of the MRN to ARTC or agree to ARTC having a role in allocating NSFC track access.
It sounds like ARTC should make no changes because one day they will hand it all back. So what's the point?