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Peter Campbell Smith[_3_] · June 23rd 09, 11:26 AM posted to uk.transport.london

wrote in :

It worries me a bit that the computer didn't spot the derailment and
happily carried on. Would it not be possible for it to check for
signalling current (or similar) flowing through every axle and if this
current stops on 1 axle but not the others then its a fair bet its
become derailed?

Possible, yes, but perhaps not cost-effective. Derailment detection
systems have often been proposed, but I'm not aware of many that have been
implemented. Your solution would give the occasional false alarm (eg on
rusty rails) which *might* be as dangerous as the very occasional
derailment.

On the whole, humans are much better and often faster at detecting
'something's not quite right' than technology, though that's not a reason
to be complacent.

IMHO, the number of failings uncovered by the report is appalling, and no
amount of technology will compensate for such widespread disregard of rules
and good practice.

Peter

--
Peter Campbell Smith ~ London ~ pjcs00 (a) gmail.com