There seems to be a degree of confusion and mis-information here.
Unless the NIR radio system has changed radically in the last few years, it is not a secure system in the sense that the Irish Rail system is secure. The NIR system is open channel whereas on Irish Rail the transmission is heard only by the train carrying the id selected by the controlling signalman.
In any event the Irish Rail train will presumably have an onboard NIR radio unit while travelling between Dundalk and Newry. This was the standard arrangement for years as until the introduction of dedicated motive power for the Enterprise, no Irish Rail equipment had permanently installed NIR radio.
The purpose of the "second man" is to observe the lineside signals as a backup to the driver to compensate for the absence of AWS.
The Irish Rail train will also apparently carry a guard.
As far as I am aware there is no TPWS in Newry so the absence of TPWS on the 2900s operating to Newry is irrelevant.
The absence of AWS is adequately covered by the presence of a second driver.
Neither AWS nor CAWS will necessarily prevent a train passing a stop signal at danger. If a driver acknowledges the warning he remains in control and the system will not intervene to stop the train. There have been numerous accidents in the UK involving trains fitted with AWS, hence the development of TPWS which will apply the brakes if a train approaches a stop signal faster than allowed. TPWS applies only to signals displaying a stop indication and depending on the speed of an approaching train may not prevent a train passing a stop signal.
The Dundalk/Newry section is fully track circuited and in the event of "anything untoward" the opposite road can be immediately protected using track circuit operating bar.
There is no substantive safety risk in the operation of this service, more than adequate measures have been put in place to address the issues involved in using the 2900s.
|