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The cable stolen from the lines fetches only meagre amounts of money from the scrap metal dealers in the illegal market. We cannot even begin to equate the monetary value of the copper in the stolen cable with that of our commuters’ lives that get endangered through this criminal behaviour, nor can it be compared to the negative impact it has on the punctuality of our trains as a result of the loss of electrification or communication to the lines that power our trains and the signalling system. The knock-on effect of delays to our scheduled services is significant as resultant train delays and cancellations invariably also impact on rail services in other areas. The financial impact of lost productivity due to irresponsible theft and vandalism is a blow to every institution whose employees use commuter rail services.
We encourage members of the public to inform us of any theft related crime so that we are able to address the matter promptly and ensure the safety of our passengers and the services to our customers. In particular, members of the public can assist by reporting unscrupulous scrap dealers or individuals who accept cables and sleepers obtained through such illegal means.
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Level Crossings
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SARCC has just witnessed yet another tragic train accident in Cape Town when one of its trains collided head on with a truck transporting people to work in the morning. The accident has to date claimed about 20 lives injuring more than 10 passengers. Our heartfelt condolences to families and friends. SARCC runs trains over 2,400 km of rail track nationally. In many instances the track crosses over public roads that are used by the general public. In such instances, there are safety measures in place, varying in their intensity depending on the vast use of the road concerned. Safety at level crossings is a multi facetted discipline predominantly governed by signage, sighting distances to oncoming traffic, discipline for safety of the crossing users and education and law enforcement. The principles that apply are exactly the same as with any traffic intersection and are governed by a document called South African Road Signs Manual.
Busy railway crossings in suburbs, national roads or in commercial areas are usually protected with automated booms and traffic lights whose action gets triggered by an approaching train, effectively closing off the track to motorists until the train has passed. Safety measures at such crossings include warning road signs to motorists on the approach to the crossing, typically reading DANGER: BEWARE OF TRAINS. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN CROSSING RAILWAY LINES.
In many instances where conditions warrant such interventions, road surfaces approaching these dangerous crossings have ridges to force motorists to slow down until they reach the stop signs before the railway crossing. The crossing should be treated like any road intersection, where motorists check both directions for oncoming trains, and ensure that it is safe to proceed.
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