NSW: Indian Pacific driver tells of communication problems

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2000
NSW: Indian Pacific driver tells of communication problems

The driver of the Indian Pacific passenger train involved in the Glenbrook rail disaster
says the locomotive's phone was not working properly.

Seven people died in a collision between the trans continental and commuter trains
400 metres from Glenbrook station in the New South Wales Blue Mountains on December 2
last year.

Driver DAVID WILLOUGHBY, who has more than 10 years' driving experience, has told an
inquiry in Sydney that he had only been driving the Indian Pacific for about two months
at the time of the crash.

And he says the train's landline and satellite phones weren't working.

The train was equipped with an effective two-way radio but the commuter train had a
different system.

Mr WILLOUGBY told the inquiry he was forced to use his personal mobile telephone to
advise the national rail base in Adelaide of the communication problems.

Glenbrook station master WILLIAM HIGGINS earlier told the inquiry that a manual signal
box might have averted the tragedy but it taken out of service years before.

The hearing is continuing.

AAP RTV jo/tsm/gmw/rp

KEYWORD: GLENBROOK (SYDNEY)

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