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Mark Illingworth, Westrail CATOS Project Engineer

In recent years due to the high costs of automatic and controlled signalling equipment and the restrictions on staff based safeworking systems, many railways around the world have opted for the re-introduction of the Train Order based safeworking system on non-track circuited single lines. This system was used in the early days of railways, and from it evolved the highly developed signalling systems we know today. Longer and less frequent trains, reducing the number of crosses and passes required, as well as the improved communications between the Driver and Train Controller is considered to be sufficient to minimise the safety related concerns that led to the previous abandonment of Train Orders as a suitable safeworking system.

Apart from cost, the main benefit identified with Train Orders above low end signalling systems such as the Staff and Ticket system, is the added flexibility and subsequent improvement in the "throughput" of train journeys. 40r example, for a train to travel from Geraldton to Coorow, a distance of about 230krn passing through 12 stations, a  minimum of one train order is required. The total time involved in preparing, issuing and receiving the Train Order by the Train Controller and the Driver would rarely exceed one half hour. A similar journey under the Staff and Ticket system would involve 12 changes of staff, requiring the train to stop 12 times, increasing the total train journey time in excess of 120 minutes (based on the prescribed 10 minutes at each stop). The subsequent improvement in productivity is self evident.