Monday 26 June 2000

Pic of the day: Train motive, screenshot from the Railroad Tycoon II demo. A nice enough game in its own right, btw, but I just fired it up to get a topical picture this time. :)

Train scandal

Last week, a high-speed train derailed on the south coast railway here in Norway. By sheer divine intervention, the axle broke at low speed on the station area at Nelaug, a couple hours east of here. No one was really hurt and it was at first barely even a headline. There had been several teething troubles with these new so-called Signatur trains. But gradually it dawned on people what had happened. All the new trains were pulled out of traffic, and checked. There were several damaged axles. The thing could - and one may even say it normally would - have broken during maximum speed at the many curves on this railway. Another catastrophe would have ensued, perhaps similar in scope to the crash last winter where two trains collided because there was no automatic warning system.

There is a steadily growing impression that NSB, the Norwegian railroad monopoly, is callously ignoring the life of the passengers. In the case of the new high-speed trains, the first test of actual stress was done yesterday, the week after the mishap. Until then, theorethical calculations were the only basis for deploying these trains on a railway more curved than any high-speed trains had navigated before. The more light of day that shines into this matter, the stronger the impression that nobody really cares who dies as long as it's not themselves. Regardless who the reporters ask, the answer seems to be that someone else has the responsibility.

It does not exactly help NSB's image that a hundred departures are cancelled because it turns out they had started the summer vacations without first checking that there were enough locomotive drivers left for all the trains. I personally think that is a much less serious problem, but it does hammer into place the impression that the state owned company is safely in the hands of morons who would be better placed in the sandbox.

***

It's a shame that the new Signatur trains had to be pulled, because they were starting to be a serious competition to planes. With electric power being cheaper and more environmentally friendly (so far), this was a good thing in my book. Also I like trains. I can't say that these new trains were actually more comfortable, except for the food which was just delicious. :) And they were slightly more expensive ... you had to pay a small premium for these departures. But they did go a bit faster, when they didn't break down for some reason, and they were quite comfortable. I slept well enough, at least!

Ironically, the name is slightly ambigious, at least to us west Norwegians. Yes, signatur means signature, a handwritten name, something unique and inimitable. The associations to "nature" is also the same as in English. But in addition, "signa tur" means "blessed travel". Counting our blessings, I guess it's a blessing to have travelled with these trains and be alive to tell it... :)

***

Apart from environment, there are several reasons why I prefer train when I travel. Ironically, one main reason is safety. It is a very safe method of transport, at least it has traditionally been so here in Norway. And truth to tell, the horrible crash last winter was rather unique. There have been very few crashes and derailments. So I have always slept well enough on trains. Sometimes a bit too well, it can be argued, but that is a different story (indeed, several different stories).

I guess I am sort of unusual (if not unique) in that I have realistic assessments of the risks in various types of travel. I feel very unsafe on bike, which also happens to be quite prone to accidents. I also get nervous in cars at high speed, again a way in which lots of people lose life and limbs. I'd far prefer to take a plane from here to Oslo over being passenger in a private car, with bus somewhere in between. But my all time favorite has been train, so far. I guess I will not feel the same way again for a while. Thank you so much, NSB, for another reminder of mortality.