NSW; Driver says surges, braking problems didn't affect safety

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NSW; Driver says surges, braking problems didn't affect safety

SYDNEY, April 8 AAP - Braking defects and speed surges in Tangara trains were regularlyreported but did not affect their safe operation, a driver told a crash inquiry today.

Train driver John Aquilina, the Wollongong secretary of the Rail, Bus and Tram Union,was continuing his evidence to the Special Commission of Inquiry into the fatal derailmentat Waterfall, just south of Sydney, on January 31.

Seven people, including the driver Herman Zeides, were killed when the Tangara slammedinto a rockface south of Waterfall station.

Mr Aquilina said today he had personally reported faults with G7 Tangara trains toa State Rail Authority defect hotline on about six occasions.

"I have reported incidents to Defects, which is a mechanical operations branch, overa period of time concerning G7s and the normal reaction you get when you talk to Defects(is) `Is that a G7?' and then they say `That is normal'," he told the inquiry.

Counsel assisting the inquiry, Peter Hall QC, questioned Mr Aquilina about claims thatdrivers switching from the G7's regular brakes to air brakes had "experienced some kindof push" from behind.

"In regards to surging, I've heard drivers say that they tend to get a push forward... an increase in speed when the brakes have been applied," Mr Aquilina said.

He said this meant "you don't stop where you intend to stop", but it was not a totalbrake failure.

"You overshoot the mark, as they say," he said.

However, Mr Aquilina added that he did not believe the incidents he had reported tothe defect line affected the safe operation of G7 trains.

"Cumulatively ... were they (the faults) all concerns of a nature that in your mindraised doubts about the capacity of this train, or did they not really rise to that level?"

Mr Hall asked.

Mr Aquilina replied, "Not to me they didn't, no".

The inquiry continues.

AAP rh/hn/nf/wjf/jlw

KEYWORD: DERAIL