200510 – Moore – Signalling Code of Practice – An Australian Perspective

The railways in Australia developed on a state basis before federation. Significant differences including gauge and engineering practices abounded in the early days and have continued unabated until the start of this century. With the development of national train operators and infrastructure owners crossing state borders, there is an opportunity for common engineering practices and standards. We has already seen the development of a National Code of Practice (NCOP) for Operations and more recently a Track & Civil NCOP has been developed and is gaining acceptance in multiple states in southern Australia.

The paper examines the issues, opportunities and threats to the development of a Signalling Code of
Practice.