Re: [NSW]Tangara T30/Kingsgrove reconstruction

["Chris Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

The last of the up line was being relaid last night at 2000.  By 2300 the
ballast regulator and tamper were in action.

Three new stanchions had been installed with half height stanchions about a
further 5m from the track.  The half heights must be intended as anchors due
to insufficient time for the main stanchion bases to cure.  The overhead had
not been restored at this point in time but all appeared on target for a pre
0600 resumption of services this morning if desired.

One of the new LED signals on the up was wiped out in the slide (only the
good die young).  Replaced by a traditional signal with incandescent globes
(although new LED signals in bubble wrap were sitting off to one side).

The East Hills tracks have always been a bit on the rough side (the
Cinderella line?).  I imagine major replacement work has been postponed as
the last work item on the Turrella - Kingsgrove quadruplication is (was)
total refurbishment of the existing lines, new subgrade, ballast, concrete
sleepers and rails.  I can't see that a private or public maintenance regime
would have changed this.

Recent work on the line includes (aside from quad work) total refurbishment
of the up line through Bexley North station and removal of track joints to
make the track continuously welded (incomplete).

The other interesting point was a Channel 7 report quoting a CityRail
spokesperson as saying that a worse accident was avoided by the driver of
the down train stopping clear of the accident.  The aerial photos in both
the Herald and the Terror show the down line as being unobstructed by either
the derailed train or the rogue wheel set.  If this was the CityRail
spokesperson's line they should be taken out and shot.  Suggesting that a
worse accident was avoided when the circumstances didn't exist for the
accident to be compounded in that way sells CityRail and its staff short by
beating up the fear factor.  Notwithstanding that full credit to the driver
of the R-set for stopping ASAP.

Chris

Bill McNiven <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
fjUD5.22234$O7.332319@ozemail.com.au">news:fjUD5.22234$O7.332319@ozemail.com.au...
> Simon Lane wrote in message <39E00FA9.B1AED804@cityrail.com>...
> >For Sale 1 4 car Tangara slight accident damage but otherwise runs well.
> >Only travelled 1,000,000klms going real cheap call 98765432 and ask for
> >Simon. Any decent offer considered.
>
>
> I'm a little surprised that it's on the market so quickly!
>
> Assuming that it's the set (T30) I viewed at Kingsgrove on Friday
afternoon,
> the damage is remarkably slight.  Sure, one wheelset from the eighth car
was
> left 100m behind the train, and a few windows were broken when they hit
the
> dirt.
>
> I had another look at a Tangara through the fence at MainTrain on Sunday
> (terminal car D6160).  Broken windows and a few dents in the sides, but
> significantly no sign of major deformation (compare this with the
ex-Indian
> Pacific HGM power van also on display at MainTrain!).
>
> I'm quite surprised that this train (assuming the two sightings are of the
> same train) is in such good shape.
>
> At Kingsgrove around noon on Sunday, about 600m of the Up line had been
> relaid and reballasted, two missing overhead masts had been replaced, a
> missing signal was being replaced and overhead was being erected over the
> new track.
>
> Rgds
>
> Bill
>
>
>