Re: Burke Rd (VIC) Crossing

[John Duncan McCallum <mccallum@melbpc.org.au>]

Reece Isaac wrote:

> If you ever observe the Long Island steel trains and or the Crib Point change
> over you would notice that those loco hauled  trains  traverse at even lower
> speeds the the EMUs.  The reason for the slow progress is that the flange ways
> for the heavy rail shallow up to the light rail depth and the difficulty of
> ensuring that the wheel don't get caught on the intersections and derail as the
> intersections are 90 degrees and it isn't possible to provide a check rail in
> the correct places.  There was for a short time a different type installed that
> allowed a higher speed a Glenhuntly for a time but the speed was reduced again.
 
> Reece

I am sorry Reece, but that is not the reason for the low speeds over the
crossing.
It is impossible for wheels to catch on a right-angle crossing, unless
the rails are
well out of alignment.
The flangeways do become shallower. This is to try and reduce the noise
and vibration
that would occur if vehicles road on their treads over the gaps.
The reason for the low speeds is that the vibration that would occur
when 
travelling over the gaps at high speed would rapidly damage the crossing
and surrounding 
road surface and the noise would be most unpleasant. Not to mention the
damage that 
would occur over time to rolling stock, both tram and train.

-- 
==========================================
John McCallum, member Melbourne PC User Group,
email <mccallum@melbpc.org.au>