Background and Development Plans

The development of an educational website represents RailCorp’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, which has recently been revamped to cater for a wider age range of students, was originally developed in 1999 for Years 5 and 6 students. In its present format, Tracking Trains may be used as an inquiry centre for information about all aspects of RailCorp including careers by all ages. Additionally, it provides fun activities online and offline for primary aged students and features some enjoyable interactive games dealing with level crossings particularly useful for country children.

However, in order to cater the specific needs of our clients of high school age/year ranges or in tertiary and TAFE courses, a new website with rail related information aligned to common courses is in the develope stage.

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

All enquiries and suggestions regarding the site should be directed through the CityRail feedback form.

'Live It Use It’, linked to the site on the home page, features fully planned school excursions via 15 syllabus linked educational trails which incorporate visiting places of interest in the Sydney CBD. The excursions are packaged at special reduced rates which include all public transport travel and entry fees locations.

About Tracking Trains

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 rail themes.
It contains:

• Careers - a careers section where students learn about specific personnel employed by RailCorp, 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 RailCorp.
• Our Trains - information about the trains on intercity and suburban services.
• 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 RailCorp
• Art Gallery - displaying art work and photos created by students and a variety of other photos in subject files.

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 . All reports are confidential.