Yarramony Lights: Researcher creates train lighting concept named after one of WA’s worst fatal rail accidents

A prominent rail safety researcher has created a best-practice train lighting concept to send to rail companies and politicians as an example of what should be done to save lives. The Yarramony Lights concept was unveiled on Tuesday and named in honour of three lives lost in one of the worst fatal rail accidents ever to send shockwaves through regional WA. Christian Jensen, 20, Hilary Smith, 19, and Jess Broad, 18, were killed by a 28-wagon grain train at the Yarramony Level Crossing near Jennacubbine on July 8, 2000. The trio’s families have spent more than two decades campaigning for improved road signage and lighting on trains after the coroner’s report revealed the three did not see the train. Curtin University adjunct researcher Brett Hughes has spent 40 years in professional engineering, transport planning and policy, and believes significant improvements in technology have made safety improvements more affordable. He said the way lighting on trucks and trains was regulated were completely different, with Australia’s rail industry having only a minimal requirement for train conspicuity and the onus put on the operator to eliminate the risk “so far as is reasonably practicable”. The Yarramony Lights proposal suggests trains be fitted with multiple lights on the top, sides and front to ensure road users can see them both during the day and at night. For locomotives, Dr Hughes suggested installing flashing lights — including rotating beacons on the top — as well as outline and side lighting. Wagons should be fitted with side lighting and upgraded reflectors. Dr Hughes also suggested other, “complementary” measures to bolster safety — including that railways develop and apply low-cost warning devices at level crossings and level crossings be given a higher profile in road safety training and awareness programs. He also called for the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator to monitor and report on the progress of the deployment of new lighting and infrastructure. “We designed an example of how train lights could be improved, called Yarramony Lights, after the 2000 crash in WA, with the families’ permission,” Dr Hughes he said. “The report makes it clear, conspicuity on the front of trains needs to be improved with flashing lights – like rotating beacons – in more than one colour, with outline lighting and a unique signature. “Conspicuity on the side of trains also needs to be improved as well as other facets of level crossing safety, including low-cost warning systems at level crossings.” Dr Hughes’ proposal comes two months after the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation released a train visibility report which investigated and recommended ways train visibility could be improved. A group of 12 families – including four from WA – who have lost sons, daughters, brothers and sisters to rail crashes were disappointed the report, commissioned by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR), recommended more trials. In a joint statement, they said they had “no faith” in the trials suggested by the ONRSR and would continue to call for legislation requiring train lighting be improved. “We have seen countless reviews, reports and trials over decades, regurgitating the same content – none of which have achieve any significant safety improvements,” they said. Dr Hughes — who has been involved in train lighting issues for road-railway level crossings in across Australia for more than 20 years — said the report “made clear” the requirements for train lighting. He plans to send the concept to State and Federal Government transport ministers, the ONRSR, and various rail companies and associations. He said train conspicuity was complex and depended on many factors including surroundings, train lighting, background light, train light intensity, contrast and colour, and road geometry and vegetation. “During the past 20 years, rail operators told me they couldn’t improve the lighting, because it wasn’t proven, it too expensive, and too large and too heavy,” Dr Hughes said. “However, in recent years, almost all of these limitations have been dramatically reduced with modern technology – especially LED lights, cheaper electronics, advanced batteries and more efficient solar charging.” There are 23,700 level crossings across Australia, about 80 per cent of which are passive — meaning they are only controlled by stop or give way signs. More than 200 near-misses and about 14 level crossing crashes are recorded each year. The 12 families’ campaign has the support of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA, WAFarmers, the WA Nationals, the Country Women’s Association, and the Western Roads Federation.