Al wrote:
> Michael Cash <mikecash@buggerallspammers.com> wrote:
> 
>>Here's food for thought:
>>
>>Imagine if the vehicle in question had been an automobile instead of a
>>train.
>>
>>At 11 months total driving experience, the driver would still be over
>>two years away from even being eligible to upgrade to a license to
>>drive a bus.
>>
>>So in the case of automotive licensing, the system would consider him
>>far short of being capable of hauling 30 or 40 people around. Yet in
>>the case of choo-choo licensing they give him a limited express with
>>580 people onboard.
> 
> 
> Hi Mike,
> 
> i don't think we can meaningfully compare the two systems: train drivers
> receive rigourous training and supervision, and they operate under much
> more restrictive conditions (the most important one the fact that they
> don't actually steer the train) and follow a very tight script of
> actions during their trip. They are being supported by a generally
> well-thought out and well-developed safety system (from dead-man
> switches to signal blocks with automatic overrun braking, etc.), and all
> this means that they don't often face situations where they would have
> to make too many decisions at once or simply lose control of the train
> due to environmenmtal conditions - this is what usually kills
> inexperienced car drivers: misassessment of the interaction between car
> and environment.
> 
> In this case it is very likely that the accident was caused by an
> unfortunate combination of one of the oldest safety systems in the
> railway network plus a speeding driver (Ken can explain in detail why
> drivers "have to speed" at times).
> 
> And i think that both contributing factors have to be considered
> carefully in view of the privatization issue - show me any country in
> the world where train safety has improved as the consequenece of
> privatization...

I've had a passing acquaintance with Japan for four years now, and the 
only train accidents and near accidents I remember hearing about have 
involved JR.

Except wait, what line was that train that hit a truck at a crossing the 
other day?

I'm only familiar with the Tokyo train system, but I think privatization 
has worked very well.  How long have the commuter lines been private? 
Since they have existed, right?  The key is that all Tokyo suburbs are 
basically the same.  So the development companies such as Seibu, Toubu, 
Toukyuu, Odakyuu, etc., can only get people to move to their communities 
by building better communities or by having better trains.  The lines do 
actually compete with each other, on very long time scales.


-- 
Curt Fischer