THE MOON AND THE TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION

CASA LOMA/RUSSELL HILL SUBWAY ACCIDENT AUGUST 11th 1995

INQUEST DAY FOUR  - Thu January 11th 1996

MORE SIGNALS

 

         Mr. Mark Reidak's testimony was interrupted by Dr. McCallum and two passengers. Dr. McCallum described in an accurate and concise way his descent to the scene and his efforts to save Mrs. Lin who finally died of loss of blood around midnight. The two passengers, Mrs. McNab and Mr. Dwane English, in runs 35 and 34 respectively, described in a very sparse manner their experiences. Their evidence, though colourful, was not really relevant.

 

         Mr. Reidak concluded his testimony today by presenting a model labeled "Basic Signaling System" which had signals SP77, SP71 and SP65 along with a piece of OO gauge model railway track divided into the appropriate track circuits. He used this model to explain how these signals functioned. He handed out Maintenance work Methods dated September 1995 and as much as Mrs. McNab and Mr. English's testimony were irrelevant, so were these work methods, as they did not describe what was in place August 11th. Much evidence is being given in the light of "Yes; we were at fault but we've fixed it now and here's what we've done." This is hardly helpful. All witnesses are equally guilty of this. Mr. Leck managed to get Mr. Reidak to admit that if the Ericson train stops are junk, at least they are SAFE junk!!! There are 30 to 40 signal system failures per day.

 

COMMENTS

 

1)      As the day wore on and Mr. Reidak's testimony was drawing to a close, Mr. Leck was experiencing increasing difficulty getting straightforward answers to straightforward questions. Mr. Reidak seems incapable of giving more than one yes or no answer at a time.

 

2)      The "Basic Signal System" was neither basic nor a signal system, rather it was nearly all of what should have been provided. There should have been SP53 and there should have been two little cars to shunt the tracks simulating runs 34 & 35. Instead Mr. Reidak had some crocodile clip jumpers to simulate the trains which didn't work at all well. Yet another example of the Commission spoiling a ship for a ha'peth of tar. When will we learn ?????

 

3)      Confusion reigns in the court over document registry. It took a twenty minute recess this morning to get the lawyers to agree as to how a copy of the Regina/ Hill report was to be recorded.

 

4)      By the end of the day, we still have not had a proper description of the signal system for the Jury's benefit. So far I feel it's like they have been shown a hand and been asked to infer a human body from it. Well; Mr. J. Thomas will fix all that starting at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow !!!

 

                 Dave Irwin   -   11 January 1996