Re: West Coast Rail train in trouble

[Craig Haber <albatross@harnessnet.com.au>]

MarkBau1 wrote:
> I was under the impression that you are a conductor in which case you > > should know the rules and regs or do Wally Rail employees have an > > exemption from rules testing??

That's where you're wrong Mark.  Yes, I'm a Conductor (well, an Engineer
first, and a Conductor second), however, and to quote the WCR
Conductor's Manual, "The Conductor's position is NOT a safeworking
position, so a thorough knowledge of the Rules and Operating procedures
is not essential".  Same goes for V/Line Conductors.  Conductors are not
Guards by another name - guards had a safeworking role, Conductors do
not.  Where loaded passenger trains can/cannot go is not our direct
responsibility.  If we need to get passengers off, we are told to do so. 
> AFAIK, no such rule exists that prohibits a train with passengers sans > loco from sitting at a plat. on a mainline in a siding etc. Tell us > more!

That was the original explanation I received.  Perhaps I misunderstood
the explanation?  Two further sources suggested this was not the case
(and in general practice it's not, because it happens all the time). 
Another (more likely) explanation I received is that the train was
required to pass over facing points in order to reach the siding, and
those facing points are not suitably locked for the passage of loaded
passenger trains.  

And for the record, it was indeed A78 (a V/Line Freight loco) which took
over from S300 on the night in question (which led to this thread!)

Cheers,
Craig.
-- 
Craig Haber
albatross@harnessnet.com.au
Manufacturing Systems Engineer (almost) 
Web Page Designer, Harness Racing, Railways, and Essendon Football Club
fanatic
http://www.harnessnet.com.au/