Re: Catchpoints - what are they?

[mack <mack@ncifcrf.gov>]

Dave Proctor wrote:

> Hi Joe - I am not sure where you are, but are you familiar with the layout
> at Strathfield in Sydney?

am living in USA. grew up in Sydney and 
used to go through Strathfield everyday for about 6yrs 
about 30yrs ago. 

I lived in Cheltenham then and my parents house overlooked
the train line. I miss the Garrats. I miss the spark from 
the pantographs on a dark rainy night. There was a spot in front
of our house where the spark would last for what seemed like 
100yrds as the train sped along if it was raining just right. 

Was back in Syd in Dec for a month and went on 
the trains every day and had a great time. 
Changed trains at Strathfield on my way up to the
Blue Mts many times and stood on the platform
while I was waiting. I was probably looking right
at the catchpoints and missed them.

(I will be sure to look for them next time.)

> The layout here has catchpoints at the end of platform1, where trains from
> the north normally arrive. Trains from the west and south normally arrive at
> platform 2, and the two tracks then merge to go to Central.

OK trains from Central to Parramatta don't go over catchpoints. Trains from
Hornsby
can sit at the platform as they have an open catchpoint infront of them incase
something nasty happens (the driver decides to go ahead). Isn't derailing the
train rather drastic or is this all they had way back then and it's still in
use because it works well enough?

> The catchpoints at the end of platform 1 allow a train to enter the platform
> and wait for a train on platform 2 to go through. Trains on platform 2
> cannot 

do you mean are not allowed by the rules or are physically prevented?

> enter the platform to allow a train on platform 1 to go through as
> there are no catchpoints at the end of platform 2 (nowhere safe for a train
> to go).

I've wondered why trains don't got the last few feet and just let everyone off
and then sit at the station if they have to.

The train from Hornsby will be derailed if it leaves the platform before the
western train is clear. What stops a western train running into the Hornsby
train?

> 
> There are other places where this occurs.
> 
> Do you have Train Dispatcher? I can build you a layout of Strathfield so you
> can put the above into perspective, if you like.

Thanks for your offer I just heard of train dispatcher the other day visiting a
train
web site. It looks like a few people have this. If I get it, I'll let you know.
I take it people are swapping files and recreating the track layouts for the
whole
world?

Thanks
Joe

-- 
Joseph Mack, NA3T, FM05lw EME(B,D) 
AZ_PROJ map server at http://www.wm7d.net/azproj.shtml
mailto:mack@ncifcrf.gov