Re: 37 Car Ghan to leave Adelaide, November 16.

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <01be0ecc$7fa21b00$d12d11cb@rodsmith>,
Roderick Smith <rodsmith@werple.net.au> wrote:
>This question has surfaced before, but I would have to search to find the
>answer.  When all IP sets were a standard 13 vehicles, double-set running
>was common.  There was at least one instance of triple-set running (ie 39
>vehicles without counting the locos or motorail vehicles), AFAIK in the mid
>1970s while recuperating from derailment (or flooding) delays.

 About 2 years ago, I was on a double IP consist (Adelaide -> Sydney ) that
met a failed Ghan comming the other way. Our train was coupled on to the
Ghan nose to nose and the IP pushed the Ghan back to the next loop. Just 
as we approached the loop, the Ghan loco managed to rectify what ever was
aling it and push itself into the loop. (Thus the IP didnt need to
push it clear and then back up.).

 Briefly we were a double IP + single Ghan , with 3 CLP locomotives in
the middle !

 From what I extracted from the passenger attendents and the 'train manager'
the CLP on the Ghan had suffered compressor failure. After we charged the
air lines, they were able to move into the loop under their own power, were I
presume they waited an hour or so for another loco to come up from Adelaide.