Heritage Technical Committee [email protected] www.htc.kiwi

27 April 2021

Technical Heads: Glenbrook Vintage Railway, Mainline Steam Heritage Trust, Society, Feilding & Districts Steam Rail. . All Certifying Engineers. All Vehicle Inspectors. RAIL Ltd. Ian Cotton (Waka Kotahi). Andrew Hunt (KiwiRail. (via email) Grant Craig (FRONZ).

Tēnā koutou,

Security of passenger car doors

Further to our letter of 20 April which clarified the requirement to modify any ‘single action’ type car doors in National Network service.

- This work must be completed as soon as is reasonably practical for each operator to do so. - In the interim, each car of this type is to be staffed by a ‘car attendant’. - An announcement must be made to inform passengers that travel is not permitted in the vestibule of these cars. - The ‘car attendant’ must make frequent checks of the vestibules and move any customers back to their seats if found riding there.

Future safety work

The HTC Committee believe that in the year 2021 we have an obligation to re-visit car door and gate safety to ensure we are doing everything so far as is reasonably practicable.

Currently: - Dual action locks are the required standard. - Car doors open inwardly. - Heritage operators staff each car with an attendant.

There is merit in exploring other solutions to keep our passengers safe.

The HTC scope is detailed in NRSS11.

One proposal is to examine a possible warning light system that would alert train staff to an open door or gate. Modern electronics may offer a cost effective solution the was not possible even a few years ago.

If someone in your group would like to develop a prototype of such a system please get in touch [email protected]

There will be many other ideas out there in the sector, discuss this with your members and let us know your thoughts by 26 June. An effective safety improvement could come out the smoko room chats across the motu.

Ngā mihi

Mike Anderson Interim HTC Chair

The HTC scope is detailed in NRSS11.