Re: Victorian safeworking systems

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

In article <3213747$Eddie.Oliver@efs.mq.edu.au> Eddie.Oliver@efs.mq.edu.au (Eddie Oliver) writes:
>From: Eddie.Oliver@efs.mq.edu.au (Eddie Oliver)
>Subject: Re: Victorian safeworking systems
>Date: Mon, 02 Mar 98 23:07:11 GMT

>From Andrew Waugh who does not currently have newsgroup access:

>Maurie Daly wrote...
>> Ararat is a junction station in the middle of
>> an OS & T section , but is itself not a staff
>> station ,for the main line. The branch from
>> Ararat to Maryborough is also OS & T , so
>> presumably Ararat is a staff station for the
>> branch.

>> The mind boggles as to how a train from say
>> Murtoa to Maryborough would be worked from the
>> up end of Pyreenees loop to the junction, maybe
>> carries 2 staffs at once.

>The working to the Maryborough line is simple.
>The train arrives at Ararat line and locks away
>in the siding. The Signaller at Pyrenees Loop (on
>the outskirts of Ararat) travels down and
>delivers the Maryborough Staff. The train
>departs. The Signaller returns to Pyrenees Loop
>with the main line staff.

>Movements from the Maryborough line are performed
>in an exactly analogous fashion.

>This form of working obviously depends on the
>Signaller being able to easily transfer the main
>line Staff; clearly it could only have been
>adopted in recent years with the advent of
>departmental cars.

>However, the basic principle has been used for a
>long time in Victoria. A number of minor branch
>lines junctioned in the middle of sections.
>Examples include Timboon, Mortlake, Maldon, and
>Long Island. The section would be worked by
>Electric Staff with an Intermediate Instrument at
>the junction. The train would work to the
>junction on a main line staff. Once the train was
>locked away, the Staff would be sunk in the
>Intermediate Instrument (freeing the main line
>section) and the branch train would obtain the
>branch Staff (from the Staff hut at the junction)
>and depart.

>Exactly the same principle: the train travels to
>the junction on a main line Staff, releases the
>main line Staff when locked away, and departs on
>the branch line Staff.

>andrew waugh

Thanks to Andrew W for his explanation.
I had considered this sort of action may take place but there are a couple of 
complications at Ararat that dont normally exist elsewhere.
Firstly, at Ararat there are no home signals on either the main line in either 
direction or from the branch line into the yard / siding ,so the question is 
where are the limits of Ararat yard?
If there are no home signals protecting the siding from the branch to 
Maryborough,then any train sitting in Ararat yard off the main line,needs some 
sort of Authority to be there,ie the train would need the Ararat - Maryborough 
staff before exiting the main line .
The other question is , what happens if trains need to shunt in Ararat yard.
Can they do so without releasing the Maroona - Pyreenees staff,ie can you have 
a cross at a loop in the middle of an OS & T section,without any signals ?
Interesting concept.

MD