Re: (NSW) Tourist Dining Train Attacked at Couridjah

["Taliesin Walker" <taliesin@nospam.chariot.net.au>]

How would such incidents be prevented for the VFT? I assume that a similar
attack would be much more serious if the train was travelling at 320 km/h.

As for this incident, these things happen and not much can really be done I
suppose.

Tali


<petercook9709@my-deja.com> wrote in message
8lcg8h$bsl$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8lcg8h$bsl$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
> At approximately 8.30pm at a level crossing at Couridjah (south of
> Thirlmere on the Picton-Mittagong Loop Line) a tourist train (CN1747,
> HN2197, BCS????, BCS2356, RMS2359, LAN????, PHA2394 hauled by double
> headed diesel locos - a 48 and a 49) was struck five times by ballast
> rocks, breaking four windows, two on CN1747 and two on HN2197 (the
> porthole window on the up left door of CN1747 was struck twice and has
> two holes in it). Additionally, one of the windows on either BCS2356 or
> RMS2359 was also believed to have been struck, although it did not
> appear to have penetrated either the inner or outer glass.
>
> Miraculously, nobody was injured during the attack although several
> passengers travelling in the two carriages struck were understandably
> shocked.  It is also believed that one of the locomotives was also
> struck, though there was no apparent damage to either upon inspection
> at Thirlmere.
>
> The train was a Christmas in July dinner service, which had left Picton
> Station at 6.45 heading to Buxton.  It was intended to proceed back to
> Thirlmere, then to Buxton again and back to Picton.  The tour was
> intended to finish at Thirlmere around midnight.  As the tour operators
> did not want to tempt fate, the second trip to Buxton was replaced with
> another return trip to Picton.
>
> It is believed the persons responsible were local youths.  It is also
> believed these people also attempted a second attack on the train near
> Thirlmere ten minutes later.
>
> IMHO, it is a disgrace that this occurred, and it is a shame this may
> affect future tourist services on the loop line.  However, none of the
> passengers abandoned the train after the incident, deciding instead to
> continue on board the tour until it was completed.
>
> Peter Cook
> Passenger
>
> For the record, at the time of the attacks, I was sitting in HN2197 one
> seat behind one of the smashed windows.
>
>
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.