Re: Sydney Light Rail

["Samuel Eades" <seades@bigpond.net.au>]

> > > Are there any definite plans to run it to
> > > Haberfield or Ashfield bearing in mind that this would  seem to
require
> > > it to use  the line taking heavy freight to Glebe Island.Would it be
> > > feasible ,safe and technically possible for it to share the line with
> > > the freight trains?
> >
> > If a tramway started using the same lines as a railway, then that
portion
> > (IMHO) would have to become a railway as well (the difference between a
> > tramway and a railway being that a tramway does not use any safeworking
> > systems).
>
> What a lot of rot. The Metro Light Rail is signalled (not in a sense of
what
> is generally accepted as railway signalling, but it is signalled all the
> same).

But is it a safeworking system or just coloured lights to stop trams running
into the back of eachother


> > So the tram would become a train and therefore require radio
> > equipment amongst other safety gear,
>
> Why would it need a radio and other safety gear?

So that it could be contacted in an emergency, so that you could tell if it
were complete, so that it could be moved in an emergency...


> > and the drivers would need to be
> > trained in the safeworking system used.
>
> They would need to be trained in any safeworking system used, including
that
> currently used on the MLR. How is it so different to what is the current
> situation?

But is the sytem used on MLR a safeworking system, or just an indicator
system to show where other trams are and the lay of the points?


> > The trams would need to be capable
> > of operating track circuits reliably. It would probably be possible and
> > safe, but perhaps not viable.
>
> Mindless rubbish. It happens all the time in Europe, and the last time I
> looked at several systems, the safeworking was set up for the trams, with
> the goods trains having to operate to their safeworking system, i.e. being
> driven at a speed slow enough to be able to respond to street traffic and
> pedestrians crossing the line. It works over there, and there is no reason
> why the two modes cannot co-exist here, your mindless hyperventilating
> notwithstanding.

Are you feeling better now, you have had your little explosion? Did you
actually read what I wrote, or are you just putting down everything I write
because it may differ slightly from what you think?
I wrote that The trams would need to be capable of activating track
circuits. I did NOT say that they weren't now.
I wrote that It would probably be possible and safe, but PERHAPS not viable!
I WAS NOT SAYING IT COULDN'T HAPPEN!!!!
What you describe as "Mindless hyperventilating" was merely my opinion on
what another person had said, and if you had bothered to read my post
properly, you would have seen that!