Re: Start of ARTC.

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <6nqfno$jjv$3@news.mel.aone.net.au> "Barry Campbell" <campblbm@ozemail.com.au> writes:
>From: "Barry Campbell" <campblbm@ozemail.com.au>
>Subject: Re: Start of ARTC.
>Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 22:14:00 +1000


>Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
>>
>>
>>Since Marulan now effectively doesnt exist as a station , ie no safeworking
>>capability, (no refuge loops either for that matter.), and neither does
>>tallong, the sections are now Goulburn - Medway - Wingello (can switch out
>on
>>weekends) - Bundanoon (can switch out on weekends) - Exeter (always in ) -
>>Moss vale.The dismantling of the refuge loops in my mind seems a terrible
>>thing , as effectively its the railway admitting its never going to see a
>>significant  increase in traffic on this line .
>>
>Marulan had a proper refuge on the up which ran around the back of the up
>platform but did not have a platform face. It was too short for anything
>other than a passenger train. The down refuge at Marulan and both refuges at
>Wingello were back in affairs which were toltally useless and too damn short
>even for some of the trains in the seventies. Closing these refuges was a
>good idea but not replacing them may not have been so sensible.


>Barry Campbell

The places on this line where the refuges really were / are needed is between 
Harden & Goulburn where there are lots of long windy grades which cause long 
running times.
There used to be refuges at Binalong , Bowning and Gunning but all of these 
are either gone completely ,(in the case of Bowning ) or totally disconnected 
from the main line in the case of Binalong & Gunning.
Yass is now the only place between harden & goulburn where trains can 
overtake,and even the original refuges at Yass are gone , trains now simply 
pass each other on the opposing track , ( Yass has effectively a long passing 
loop) .
Even this arrangement at times doesnt work too well , as the up platform is 
out of service and all pass trains have to use the down platform.

This is progress.?
Cheers
MD