City Circle 'W' s back in service.

["William Pearce" <ben_issacs@optusnet.com.au>]

    Fellow Travellers,
    About lunch time today I observed No.909 on the City circle run in
Spring Street, already it sounded as if it had flats on its wheels. However,
the main purpose of my observations was to see what had been done with
regard to the new braking system.
    These cars are now fitted with electro-magnetic track brakes, shoes
suspended from the bogie frames between the wheels and running about 15mm
above the rails. When actuated, these shoes are magnetically attracted to
the rails, and very rapidly bring the tram to a halt. They should not be
affected by water or other liquids on the rails, nor even by sand or dirt.
    From experience in Hong Kong, the application of such a brake could
throw standing passengers off their feet, even at the generally slow speeds
at which the City Circle cars run.
    One wonders if the cure could be worse than the disease!
    Also, from the undersides of the bogie frames , sloping brackets run
fore and aft to beneath the axleboxes, the purpose of these brackets is
unclear, if they are attached to the axleboxes they would negate the action
of the springs, if not, what do they do?

Regards,

Bill.