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wolfpac
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 19, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: "Melton"-SSS Line...
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:37 am
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| NineMSN website news wrote: | A train safety worker has been hired to supervise a stretch of track in western Victoria — despite the fact that the railway hasn't been used in more than a decade.
Safety regulations have required the hiring of a "flagsman" to supervise the abandoned train line — and pay him up to $1300 a week for his troubles.
Under V/Line rules, the flagsman is required to monitor the weed-infested line while sewer lines are installed nearby in the Victorian town of Warrnambool.
Further bringing his role into question is the fact that sleepers and rocks also reportedly block access to the line 2km away.
The idle employee, who spends the day parked between the tracks and the construction site, jumped out of his car when approached by a Herald Sun journalist.
He said he was "not interested" in discussing his job and threatened to call the police.
Wannon Water, the company putting the sewer lines in, told the newspaper they did question V/Line about the strange requirement but were told it was a compulsory condition.
The lone employee, who Wannon says is a grade 3 qualified flagsman, would earn $20 an hour plus an extra $120 a day if he was living away from home.
He is currently three weeks into a job that is expected to run until mid-September. |
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=602858
Uh huh...  
Wolfpac
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LowndesJ515
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 17, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 6, 2008
Location: Not in Yarrawonga...
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:06 pm
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First of all i'd like to know where exactly is this work being done in Warrnambool? Looks like a slow news day...
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Edith
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Nov 11, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: Line 1 from Porte de Vincennes bound for Bastille station
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:07 pm
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I think that I could do this job.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24068685-421,00.html
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.....Wannon Water, which is building the sewer lines, said before they could begin work, public train operator V/Line forced it to have a flagsman on guard despite no trains using the lines.
Wannon Water's corporate communications spokeswoman, Annette Cannon, said:"It's a V/Line requirement that a rail person is on site at all times. We did question that, knowing the rail line was not active, but it was a condition of work," she said. ......
V/Line spokeswoman Clare Steele said a basic level of safety was needed near the train line, because though trains had not come through for 10 years, other vehicles could come up the line.
Wannon Water was using a level 3 flagsman when only a level 1 guard was needed, she said.
"Safety is the No. 1 requirement." .....
Jenny Bertrand, who works at the Dennington North general store next to the rail line, said the train line was blocked 2km away with rocks and sleepers.
"I just can't believe they can pay someone to do that when the track is clearly closed," she said.
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"The future depends on what we do in the present" - Gandhi
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thelastname
Photo Overlord
Joined: Feb 10, 2006
Last Visited: Oct 6, 2008
Location: Warrnambool
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:02 pm
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| LowndesJ515 wrote: | | First of all i'd like to know where exactly is this work being done in Warrnambool? Looks like a slow news day... |
I believe it's being done at Dennington, at the old Nestle siding.
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Ads
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Jun 12, 2003
Last Visited: Sep 30, 2008
Location: Melbourne
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:08 pm
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| LowndesJ515 wrote: | | First of all i'd like to know where exactly is this work being done in Warrnambool? Looks like a slow news day... |
Could be wrong here but my guess is that the works are taking place a few K's west of the current terminus (ie. where the line is baulked).
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wolfpac
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 19, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: "Melton"-SSS Line...
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:11 pm
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Must've been a slow news day, still, I really wanted to find out more info from people "in the know"... 
Wolfpac
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wongm
Minister for Railways
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Oct 5, 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:17 pm
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Instead of getting a flagman, couldn't they have just booked the line out of use, then back in again after all the work was done?
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NathanCastle
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Dec 11, 2007
Last Visited: Oct 6, 2008
Location: South Gippsland
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:06 pm
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It's the section of track from Rooneys road level crossing to the Fonterra Dairy Plant.
There Is a near full colour article about It on page 5 In the Herald Sun (Melbourne) reading "Our silliest job ? $1300 a week waiting for a train that'll never come"
This job Is the result of "RED TAPE"
I'm sure there are many jobs that take place every day like this across all Industries (fire spotter's, stand by persons etc)
This section of track was last used on a regular basis by trains transporting briquettes from Morwell In 2002
This proposed corbon trading scheme Is going to ruin the economy of Australia. "Dump It Now"
65 miles from Flinders Street Station Melbourne and 703 feet above sea level
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574M
White Guru
Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: Shepparton
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:29 pm
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Well, since Public Transport is probably going to be one of the two main planks of the forthcoming state election, I'd say the Hun is getting in early with sticking the knife into the Govt with slow news day articles they can use later on.
Somebody tipped them off, somebody real sharp. No Flinders St reporter would have known about that.
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wolfpac
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 19, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: "Melton"-SSS Line...
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:59 pm
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Certainly a tip off, how else would you know to rock up to that particular spot...
Are nineMSN and HS linked, though?
Wolfpac
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NottaGunzel
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Jul 05, 2007
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: Melbourne Northern Suburbs
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wolfpac
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Apr 19, 2004
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: "Melton"-SSS Line...
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:52 pm
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Yep, we're all agreeing it's a slow news day item, but I just wanted to see what the real story was behind it, cutting out the HS/nMSN spin on it...
It was more staggering that they felt the need to report on it, I suppose, and the story itself, it could've been done a better way for a start.
Certainly if a train hasn't travelled on the rails since 2002...
Wolfpac
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Ballast_Plough
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Nov 16, 2006
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: Lilydale, Vic
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:15 pm
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Whilst I can see how absurd the situation is, I can also see the angle that V/Line is probably coming from. Trains certainly aren't going to get through but there's nothing stopping a Hi-Rail from jumping on at the level crossing and going for a ride and possibly hitting the gang.
Reading back through rail or aviation accident reports often shows an accident was the sum result of many minor factors which just so happened to occur simultaneously. A number of these incidental factors may have appeared extremely trivial in their own right (like having a flagman on the Dennington line) but when viewed as a complete package, you can see how an accident unfolds.
My pics here - and the Forsayth Goods here!
Brendan McKenna
Member / Volunteer PBR, YVTR, past member of PRR, VGR!!! |
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michaelgreenhill
Patron Saint of Alcohol
Joined: Jan 17, 1985
Last Visited: Oct 7, 2008
Location: Lost Somewhere In Time
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 5:50 pm
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| Ballast_Plough wrote: | | Reading back through rail or aviation accident reports often shows an accident was the sum result of many minor factors which just so happened to occur simultaneously. A number of these incidental factors may have appeared extremely trivial in their own right (like having a flagman on the Dennington line) but when viewed as a complete package, you can see how an accident unfolds. |
To paraphrase a line often found in computing: "Safety is a journey, not a destination".
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Brenden
Locomotive Fireman
Joined: Dec 02, 2005
Last Visited: Jul 29, 2008
Location: Melbourne
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:40 pm
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After reading the article I had to check the date.....nope its not 1/4. OH&S is important and should be the No. priority but surly vline could have come up with a better and more cost effective solution?
Here some of my ideas!
1) Cut the rails.
2) Place a big sign "Beware of Trains". Local kids could graffiti a blank sign for vline.
3) Employ a fast food chain worker dressed in a chicken suit to run up and down the line yelling "Beware of Trains" or "cock a doodle doo".
4) Use a level 1 flagman.
5) Change and lock out the points, While riding next to the railway line the other day I didn't see any flagmen? Do they hide?? What protects me from trains if I jump on the track?
6) Have a level 3 flagmans to protect the plumbers and at the same time give him a shovel to help out or atleast direct the diggings with his flags.
My favorite is (3) money well spent due to atleast a $10/hr saving and you get the entertainment value for the plumbers. Happier plumbers and higher morale= job gets done quicker. A win win for all. Option (6) not too bad either.
You would have to argue- is this value adding to the customer i.e. assuming vline is paying for the turkey..ticket prices?
Thats my 2 cents worth, slow news day or not it does seem a bit ridiculous to pay someone to play sudoku! How many times can you read a paper? Pick you nose and other stuff that'll make you blind?
Other that my awesome suggestions do others have any perhaps some more sensible one?
cheers
Brenden
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