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Special location not identified
Date issue released
Issue number
RO-2020-001-SI-01
Issue Status
Closed – Partially addressed
Transport Function
Rail: Infrastructure
Issue Owner
Australian Rail Track Corporation
Mode of Transport
Rail
Issue finalisation date
Safety Issue Description

ARTC’s systems for management of track lateral stability did not lead to identification of the location as a special location potentially vulnerable to track instability.

Issue Status Justification

The completed and proposed proactive safety actions should reduce the risk associated with this safety issue. The status is assessed as partially addressed due to some safety actions not yet being complete.

Proactive action
Action number
RO-2020-001-PSA-317
Organisation
Australian Rail Track Corporation
Action date
Action Status
Closed
Action description

ARTC has taken the following actions relating to the identified safety issue:

  • A standardised form of the Track Stability Management Plan (TSMP) has been introduced and included in the procedure for managing track stability. The standardisation has reduced variability which had previously been present in information collection and analysis relating to track stability management. 
  • A track and civil engineering team has been established to manage the development and review of all TSMP’s including pre-summer briefing, post high-temp season reviews and special location analysis. The centralisation of this function has increased the consistency and quality of TSMP’s and can achieve higher scrutiny of related data and actions.

ARTC has also undertaken to conduct a review of available technology for stress‑free temperature measurement along with considering the adequacy of the current approach to stress‑free temperature testing.