00:00It looks and feels a lot like a real train, but the simulators at this Petersham Rail
00:08School are where drivers learn the ropes.
00:11It opens your eyes to what it is like being a train driver.
00:15It's not an exact replica of real life, but it's good exposure and prepares you for real
00:20world driving.
00:23One of the things drivers are taught is how to interpret and respond to the trackside
00:26signals that prevent crashes.
00:30But in the past year there's been a jump in the number of trains failing to stop at red
00:34lights, referred to by Sydney trains as signal passed at danger incidents or SPADs.
00:40Last financial year there were 224 SPADs, that's 46 more than the year before.
00:46While dozens were caused by technical issues like signal or power failures, 138 were put
00:52down to train crew or human error.
00:54You know, we're all human, we have lives outside of work.
00:57The draw requires a lot of focus and attention all the time, and you know, things happen.
01:04But Sydney trains says the vast majority of incidents posed no danger to passengers with
01:09only a handful that could have potentially led to a crash.
01:12They should definitely not be alarmed.
01:15There were only four in the last financial year that went into a category A or a category
01:21B, so with minimal risk of collision.
01:25Every time a train runs a red, the driver is taken for drug and alcohol testing and a
01:29safety investigation is launched.
01:31Then it's back to basics again, with drivers put through more training out on the network.
01:36It's really about how do we help support our crew or our drivers to ensure that they can
01:41move forward, sort of learn from what has happened.
01:45Before being given the green light to return to normal duties.
01:48a.
01:57b.
01:57b.
01:58b.
01:59b.
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