Grayrigg crash was 'very sad day' (BBC News)

[swisstrains]

The fact that this person was able to wander round without a lookout makes a mockery of the inspection regime for this section of line. According to the official report into the accident, physical inspection of the track and pointwork in this area was normally only permitted between daybreak and 10.00hrs on a Sunday morning because of the danger from frequent high speed trains.

[Flying Pig]

You are quite right. IME there's quite a mix. Ther are some excellently disciplined people out there, as well as an appalling amount of sloppy practice.

Firstly let me apologise in advance for an acronym-heavy post

Under Personal Track Safety (PTS) regulations there is a category of IWA - Individual Working Alone. This is usually someone of advanced experience, like a COSS (Controller of Site Safety). They are allowed to work on the line alone, though obviously they should be more vigilant than a group protected by a Lookout. What has been described here is shameful but sadly quite common.

My personal bugbear is that according to the rules, mobile phones should not be used by anybody when on or near the line, and yet it's a rarity to see a trackside worker who isn't on the phone.

[paul miller]

This has turned into a very good subject, and I am grateful to the fellow forum members, who are more versed in the workings of todays railways than I ever will be, for their brilliant contributions.
I really feel that we have let standards fall in virtually every aspect of work and life, and I cannot for the life of me accept it.
I know everything was'nt perfect before, but we have so many rules and reg's now but no one seems to carry them out. We are all H&S'd out. We are supposedly belonging to a "nanny state", but nobody takes responsibility for their actions.
I was an engineer for 40 years, and made many mistakes to which I put my hands up. I dont see that mentallity anymore, and the higher up the ladder you go, the more you get paid for your mistakes.
Paul.

[Tony]

Just a thought;
A few days ago there was a dreadful accident on the M6 where a family of six were all killed.
Did I miss the press and TV clamouring for a public enquiry?

[paul miller]

Absolutely right Tony, and as I said earlier in one of the posts, any other form of transport would be regulated out of business.
What else comes into play on the roads is that a lot of the people who cause the accidents on our roads are not trained at all after passing driving tests(if they bother with those).
Even with some of the shortcomings on the railways, a great deal of training is given.
Paul.

[locojoe]

I think having the railways fenced in is a good thing what with all the nutters putting obstructions onto the rails trying to derail trains. At least it deters some of them.