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Re: FreightCorp Radios



Rod Young wrote:
> 
> Paul wrote:
> >
> > Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
> > >  8< snip
> > >The SRA Train Radio System or whatever it is now called is / was / always
> > will
> > >be a total disaster.
> >
> > I have trouble understanding how, nearly 29 years after we put a man on the
> > moon, we haven't sorted basic stuff like this out. I mean really, this is
> > 1998!  The technolgy needed isn't even particularly new. Out here in the
> > remote west it's still copper wires, and telephones attached to poles, ala
> > steamdays. They talk here about upgrading to CTC, when this day and age we
> > shouldn't even have signals. It should all be in the cab, along with a
> > telephone to simply pick up and talk to a controller.
> > I'm sure Maurie could come up with a system in less than a week, which is
> > better than anything in Australia today.
> >
> > My 2c worth, that's better...
> > Paul P.
> 
> Hey BOB YOU READING THIS!!!!
> 
> Victoria has had a radio system as described since the mid 80's
> Pick up a Handset and ring or recieve Train control,Need a Deisel
> Maintainer, talk to the Fuel Point, want to tell the Boss about his
> ancestors, ask Manpower to pass it on for you! a secondary system was
> provided for "on train" or local communication[ range varies but usefull
> up to 10 km's]
> NSW seem to rely a hell of a lot on walkie talkies, And I must admit
> that SAR and Commonwealth Rail had a pretty good if basic system for
> many years.
>     Of course all that changed with NR's new wiz-bang system...pity
> about the range of the end to end bit though....I SAID YOUR F>>>N TRAINS
> COMPLETE>>>oh forget it......
>                    Cheers
>                                   Rod Young

>From what I hear, at least for suburban trains, the system is a bit of a
shambles at present. Suburban train drivers for quite some time have
been issued with mobile phones by the PTC leased/purchased through
Vodafone with hardwired numbers only for contacting Metrol and a few
others. I presume the numbers are hardwired through the GSM(? I am not
sure if this is the correct terminology - the little chip thing put in
the back to tell the phone who you are and your mobile number) as many
drivers take along their own  chip and use that with the phone for their
own calls. The reason for this is that the radio system installed
originally in the 80s is extrememly unreliable and didn't cover the
system very well. Then again, from what I hear, the mobile phone system
isn't much better in terms of coverage. It is difficult to get reception
past Heidelberg on the Hurstbridge line except for a short area around
Greensborough, at least thats what I have been told.