Re: [NSW] What's a ...

["B." <gunzel412@dingoblue.gunzel.net.au>]

<signal_spotter@my-deja.com> wrote in message
8sicbm$8lm$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8sicbm$8lm$1@nnrp1.deja.com...
> In article <39ebfe7d@news.hunterlink.net.au>,
> "Ben O'Regan" <benandveronica@net21.com.au> wrote:

>> Looking through the ARHS Signalling Diagram CD-Rom and have
>> noticed a lot of the diagrams have:

>> Train Bar
>> Clearance Bar
>> Depression Bar

>> at various places, mostly it seems at the end of loops or main
>> lines where loops join.

>> Does anyone know what they were for and how they worked?

> Basically they were used to lock the points when a train was on
> (or very close) to them. The bar was depressed by the wheel
> flange and this moved a plunger which prevented the points from
> moving. However with the advent of track circuits these devices
> were removed. I know, one of my first designs when I was in
> State Rail was to remove them from various places around NSW.
> Anyway other folks in this NG will be able to elaborate more on
> them.

Just to hijack this thread to Victoria, as there hasn't been
enough of that lately...

There is only 1 lockbar left 'In Service' in Victoria, it is on a
set of points at Morwell, worked from an auxiliary frame.

The last lockbar worked from a true box was at Fawkner, but it was
blown up when the double track was extended from Fawkner to Gowrie
a year or 2 back.

The only other surviving lockbar I know of in Victoria is the
'famous' selectable both ways lockbar in Castlemaine Yard, this
has been out of service for many years now.

The question is does that strange state north of the border still
have any left in service?

--
B.

Email - gunzel412 at dingoblue dot net dot au
ICQ#  - 82329734
Phone - long, long, short, long.