Article: Train brake failures lead to 30 km/h speed limit

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Train brake failures lead to 30 km/h speed limit

Train brake failures lead to 30 km/h speed limit

    * Clay Lucas
    * March 7, 2009

THE city's newest trains have had speed restrictions slapped on them by the State Government's rail safety investigator after a series of still unexplained braking failures.

The Age yesterday revealed that Connex had advised train drivers to approach railway platforms at a maximum of 30 km/h instead of the usual 50 km/h.

Now, the advice to drivers has been upgraded to a mandatory order from the state's safety investigator.

The Government's fleet of 36 Siemens trains ? which make up almost a quarter of the 164-train fleet ? have had serious braking problems in recent days.

One brake failure was so serious that a train overshot Ormond station and ran into the North Road intersection while the boom gates were up. No cars were hit by the train.

Public Transport Safety Victoria late yesterday placed a mandatory speed restriction on all Siemens trains.

The 30km/h restriction ? which applies only when the trains are approaching platforms ? will cause delays across the train system.

"Public Transport Safety Victoria met with Connex and has agreed with them to put in mandatory speed restrictions on all locations where Siemens trains operate," a statement from the agency given to The Age said.