Re: Exessive safety at any cost - including efficient transport?

In a message to TramsDownUnder dated 12 Sept 2001 @ 0044 PDT, "Bruce G"
<[email protected]> wrote:

I think we might be blaming the wrong people; from my first-hand
experience in operating trams - and comparing the W2 we have (which
is in 1970-80 configuration, i.e. dead simple) and the Wellington
Fiducia (one-man car, air doors, deadman handle and interlocks all
over the place) I think a lot of the problems with Melbourne's
buggered-up W2s has to do with the preoccupation with safety - blame
that on the regulators! These days no one is responsible for taking
care or looking themselves. Every problem has to be someone elses
fault. And of course we have safety management systems and auditors
and god knows what else, adding their own often technically naive or
uniformed ideas, bells and whistles.

IMHO an unadorned W2 is a simple, efficient and comfortable machine,
still capable of being very useful in a big city.

Bruce G

Indeed it is. An unadorned W2 moves mountains of people.

In 1987, during one of Muni Metro's frequent down moments, I was conductor
on W2 496 in the Trolley Festival. I counted 150 people packed into the
tram enroute to Castro Street. Everyone rode in perfect safety. No one was
complaining.

Milantram


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