THE message couldn't be clearer: fix our level crossings or more people will die.
Train drivers, their union and the national rail association are demanding the State Government provide immediate upgrades to the rail network between Cairns and Townsville, to prevent more fatal train crashes.
The call follows last Thursday's horrific crash between a tilt train and a semi-trailer that killed Townsville train drivers Richard Wetherell, 54, and Michael Smithers, 53, at a level crossing 20km south of Cardwell.
The union has identified five black spots, where rail lines cross the Bruce Highway unprotected:
¢ Level crossing at the Don River, near Bowen.
¢ Level crossing at Brandon, north of Ayr.
¢ Level crossing at the Cardwell Range, 17km north of Ingham.
¢ Level crossing between Ingham and Cardwell.
¢ Level crossing at Port Hinchinbrook, near Cardwell.Queensland Rail estimates the installation of flashing lights and/or boom gates could cost up to $1.5 million at each site.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union Townsville district organiser Les Moffitt warned if these level crossings were not fixed immediately, there would be "more bloody accidents".
"The Townsville to Cairns rail corridor seems to be the real high-risk area," Mr Moffitt said.
"For every collision there is probably four or five near misses."
A train driver, who asked not to be named, described the regular journey between Townsville and Cairns as "nerve-wracking."
"The biggest problem is the unprotected level crossings. Some of them have only got Stop signs on them, coming off side roads," he said.
"The further north you go, the worse it seems to get."
Australasian Railway Association chief executive Bryan Nye said when it came to unprotected level crossings, enough was enough.
"The minimum should be boom gates and flashing lights," he said.
Mr Nye questioned whether the State Government had performed a risk assessment at each of the black spots before allowing semi-trailers through.
Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt last week said a road overpass of the railway crossing where the latest fatal accident happened was part of a Bruce Highway upgrade plan.
Construction is due to start in 2009, but only if money is made available through Auslink 2. But the train driver warned that unless the crossings were upgraded immediately, there would be more people killed.
A QR spokesman said the State Government had funded a $33.8 million program to improve level crossing safety, which will continue until 2013.
"Already more than $20 million has been invested in assessing and upgrading level crossings," he said.
A spokesman for Mr Pitt said the upgrade of rail crossings was prioritised based on detailed risk assessments, including looking at visibility for motorists, the layout of a crossing and accident history.
