Railcorp set to hit the charts

We’ve seen the rise of UK teen pop group One Direction, Karise Eden from TV show the Voice has skyrocketed into the charts with her new album – now is Railcorp set to become the next big music sensation?

That’s right, Railcorp – the rail company – has just released its debut album. It hasn’t hit the Aria charts just yet – but hey, Elvis didn’t rise to stardom overnight either, did he?

The album is called ‘Fatigue Busters’ and if you like the sounds of moaning whales and softly chiming bells, this one is for you.

The critics aren’t really raving about it – in fact, if Railcorp’s album hits the mark, they probably all dozed off about two minutes into it.

Yes, Railcorp has created a CD of tunes created to help employees nod off. It’s got three cracking tracks, complete with the dulcet tones of a man telling you to relax, all designed to put you to straight to sleep. It appears this is Railcorp’s answer to the very serious issue of worker fatigue.

The issue of fatigue management in the rail industry is well known. Just recently we won the fight to retain 12-hour shift limits for drivers in NSW, and the Loco Division is constantly keeping a close eye on companies’ fatigue management policies to make sure they’re complying with industry standards and consistent with the latest research.

And as every shift worker knows – it’s not just the back to back hours you work that impacts on fatigue levels, the amount of deep sleep you get in between shifts is also very important. So it’s good that Railcorp has recognised that and that they’re thinking about fatigue…. It’s just that this CD isn’t quite what we’d expected….

Here’s a sneak preview of one of the classic hits.

A musical medley is an interesting attempt at dealing with the very serious issue of fatigue, and an interesting use of the time and resources in Railcorp. Just imagine what could be achieved if they put as much effort into thinking about rostering, breaks between shifts, allowing for regular breaks for toilet relief instead of trying to chain drivers to the seat, reducing turn around times and fixing staff moral.

What you do think of Railcorp’s first foray into the music industry? Can you see yourself taking this CD home and listening to it as you drift off to sleep?