Background and Development Plans

The development of an educational website represents StateRail’s commitment to work in partnership with educators and school students throughout NSW to provide safe living skills and information about rail travel. Schools Students represent our second largest daily commuter group and in like manner to the Road Safety programs in schools it is essential school students are well instructed in safe practices when using rail services.
The present website was originally developed in 1999 to be used with Years 5 and 6. However, in order to reflect the changes in curricula and cater to the needs of our clients over a broad range of ages a new site will be developed by semester 2, 2003.

The new site will feature activities and information for Kinder to Year 12 and beyond.
Transport and specifically rail travel is rarely mentioned explicitly within the NSW syllabi but many curriculum areas abound with opportunities to study transport and its role and affect on society. The PDHPE (Personal Development, Heath and Physical Education K-6 and 7-10 syllabus state mandatory outcomes in regards Safe Living practices and informed decision making when faced with peer influences and pressures. There are many other syllabus linked possibilities to study the rail transport system in the subjects such as:

• Human Society and Its Environment K-6
• Geography years 7-10 and Years 11-12
• Commerce Years 7-10
• Business Studies and Economics Years 11-12,
• Science and Technology K-6 syllabus,
• Design and Technology Years 7-12
• Engineering Studies Years 11-12
• Science years 7-10
• Physics Years 11-12

StateRail’s Tracking Trains educational website in its present format may be used as an inquiry centre for information about all aspects of StateRail as well as providing some activities online and offline for Stage 3 students. It features some enjoyable interactive games dealing with level crossings particularly useful for country children.

'Live It Use It’, which is linked to the site features fully planned school excursions via various educational trails which incorporate famous often visited places of interest. The excursions are packaged at special rates which include travel and entry fees.

All enquiries and suggestions regarding the site should be directed to the K-12 Educational Officer via the Rail Information tab – Research and Enquiries.

This site consists of four sections

Careers in Rail - this is the main communications area. Activities in this area will allow students to share thoughts and ideas around state rail themes.
It contains:

• Inquiries - This area allows you to ask any questions or to make any comments related to trains.
• Careers - a careers section where students learn about specific personnel employed by StateRail, their positions and comments regarding their work.

Trains and Rail - this is the research and library area of the site. Users will visit this area to gather information and resources for use in activities throughout the site.
It contains:

• Track Rules - information about how to travel safely with StateRail.
• Our Trains - information about the trains on intercity and suburban services.
• Enviro Track - information about how StateRail considers and protects the environment.
• Rail Links - these links will take you to some very interesting sites on rail.
• Rail History - excerpts from Steam to a Dream, the history of NSW StateRail
• Art Gallery - displaying art work and photos created by students and submitted to the site.

Activities - this area concentrates on developing numeracy and literacy skills using links to other KLAs and technology.
It contains:

• Adding Tracks - students navigate the Internet to complete and design mathematical quizzes
• Holiday Tracks - use links to maps, timetables and places of interest to help plan a holiday for train travel across the state.
• Your trains - a quiz to help you learn more about trains with links to information sites.
• Design Tracks - puts the student into the role of a Railway planner considering the environmental impact when planning a new rail line.
• Model Trains - a model train template that can be downloaded from the site.

Teachers - This site provides teachers with teaching and learning information about Tracking Trains along with answers to activities listed on the site

The entry page will feature a modernistic interface based on future trains. It will also have security hotline link that allows students to report incidents that occur on State rail. All reports are confidential.