NIF Simulator Roadshow Results

Members will be aware that NSW Trains recently took its shiny new NIF simulator on a roadshow to several depots to allow members to get “hands on” experience of this piece of equipment. Newcastle and Gosford depots were rostered to attend during a trackwork possession however, other depots could voluntarily attend if they had report or standby in their diagrams. Eveleigh depot (the largest) was ignored.

For many, this was the their first opportunity to see the NIF cab design and, based on the results of the survey, left all with very real concerns for their ability to safely operate this train and the future safety of passengers under the NSW Trains/TfNSW operating model. Whereas it is not possible to provide the reams of responses here, some member comments are as follows:

Overall view of Cab Design

• “very technical and too many distractions”
• “Very full and vision obstructed, cluttered and distracting”
• “PA is in an inconvenient spot; shoulder injuries will be common. Door open/close buttons should be relocated to the door so the Guard can access them”

CCTV Monitors and their location

• “Made my neck sore turning to the right and holding position. Screen cluttered for 10 cars and hard to focus on each segment”
• “Terrible, obstructs view of signals and very close to my face, peripheral vision is lost”
• “The monitors hinder the view of the track and platform, especially the right one”

Images displayed on the Monitor

• “Hard to see if anyone falls between the platform and the train”
• Pictures to small and too many to look at all at once. Dumb idea for a commuter train, disaster waiting to happen during peak and in bad weather”
• “Too much for the brain to compute”

Driver’s seat

• “Very hard and lacking range of movement”
• “Feels like we’ve gone back 20 years, very cheap and uncomfortable”

In Cab Camera

• “I really don’t like the idea of being watched while I do my job”
• “We don’t need to be watched. We are professionals but management always want to micromanage and treat us like children. I don’t want it, it’s not necessary”
• “Breach of basic human rights”

These results come as no surprise to the Loco Division, they represent the voice of the membership and echo our collective safety concerns for which management should now sit up and take notice.

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