The USS Quad Damage

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience an automated train system in a third world country (KL, Malaysia). It cost about about 50c to travel to/from my destination. That is what I want out my transport system.

After seeing ‘them’ do it, I was wondering why they don’t do the same thing in other more developed countries such as Australia?

I think there are a number of factors.

• Australia is about 60th in the world for transportation. Outside of some ‘fancy’ electronic timetables, the base system remains the same as it was from the 1960’s (or so I heard).

• The unions won’t like staff being axed by ‘puters. Major uproar. Whoever’s the minister of transportation will likely have to fall on his/her sword. Did you know train drivers get $80K for pushing and pulling a lever? Ridiculous.

• Incompetence. Millennium train anyone? I’m not sure what meds those train designers are on, but I want some (more wiring in a carriage than a 747 etc).

• More expensive since it’s first world.
  Third world can build plenty of lines dirt cheap, build plenty of trains dirt cheap etc.

• Size. Australia is too big. Putting sensors on each train station/signal could cost a bit. I propose multi-redundancy GPS devices with a mobile/satellite communications interface and radar sensors (for cars parked across the track) for each controller car. The cost would be less than upgrading all the infrastructure and it would just require one centralised TTC (train traffic controller) to synchronise all the trains.

There does seem to be a lot to consider, but it definitely is feasible.

Cars, on the other hand will only really work if all vehicles are automated. The human element is the risk factor .. whether it’s a software glitch or just a bad driver causing a ruckus

Hi Steve,
Let me take your points one at a time:

• Our current system may require investment to bring up to par, but there’s no reason that investment shouldn’t be forthcoming. An improved public transport system correlates with improved productivity, easing of housing markets, and other things that I think all citizens can agree are “good for the state”.
• Surely even unions understand that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. If people are being paid to do something they’re not worth, then they’re a net drain on society. I’m all for unions and collective bargaining, but they also need to be forward looking.
• The incompetence seems to be based on the fact that governments write up contracts for the cheapest offer, and then have provisions for extensions (both in scope and time). If they act like better customers and get better lawyers, this sort of thing should become simpler.
• I doubt third world countries are “cheaper” by any stretch. Expensive labour might mean laying the train lines is more expensive. However, the lines are already there, only the technology needs to be placed, which means only the trains need to be smarter, and the software needs to be written.
• Australia might be large, but it’s quite densely packed. Use regular trains for stuff outside the CBD. If I want to go to Mittagong, I’d be happy waiting an hour for a train. If I’m going from Rockdale to Chatswood, however, I’d want that train to be there often, on time, and be quick.