Radio National and the famous runaway CN train.

[telljb@ozemail.com.au (Tell)]

Working 12 hour rotating shifts gives me the chance to
listen into the ABC's Radio National in the wee small
hours.  The other morning there was a show on called
"Other Worlds", I did not catch the presenters name,
but he plays all kinds of stuff, ghost stories, any
thing that others would not put to air.

This weekend the famous Canadian National mineral train
runaway was played.  This happened many years ago when
the two loco's and 30 wagons parted from the rest of
the train at a mine and descended down mountain track
and speeds of 70 mph (113 Kph) plus with no train air.

The whole episode from beginning to end was recorded
and you hear the frantic voice of the lone driver on
the train, "she's hit 50 mph, she's hit 60, etc etc."
All the way through, the smooth calm Canadian accented
voice of the Despatcher can be heard issuing
instructions to the various stations on route advising
them of the runaway, organising medical assistance with
various personel down the line, talking to the driver
and saying to him "I think you better jump from that
train." and trying too figure if the train can make it
through a junction without derailing, way on down the
line.

The upshot was the train entered a wye (triangle to us
colonials) and the whole thing left the tracks at
incredible speed.  The driver survived without a mark.

Anybody interested in trains should listen to this, you
will be on the edge of your seat.  You have to admire
the driver for staying with it, what he was going
through must have been torture, but the remarkable
thing for me was cool calm voice of the Despatcher, he
never once panicked or lost the plot, quite remarkable
considering the circumstances.

Cheers

----Tell
Alice Springs NT