Re: Newport crash

[David Hoadley <s8400157@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au>]

Stuart Thyer <sthyer@anatomy.unimelb.edu.au> wrote:
> In article <72o69i$p72$1@aggedor.rmit.edu.au>, David Hoadley
> <s8400157@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au> wrote:
>> 
>> This suggests to me that it was a down Williamstown shuttle entering
>> Newport platform 2 from the yard, rear-ending the departing Werribee
>> train. But this seems so unlikely, because it requires the driver to
>> continue driving into a highly visible stationary train at low speed for
>> some time. (Weather here in Williamstown is cloudless and bright today).
>> [...]

> As far as possibilities go, the Willy shuttle rear ending the Werribee is
> most possible as it is a signallable manouver to let the shuttle into the
> platform behind the werribee. 


> Hot off the press, it was as described above, minor injuries, the trains
> have been cleared and everything is running again.

I have just been out on the bike to Newport. 3 car Comeng is in the yard
being examined. 337M, on the down end of the train looks a bit sad. The
yellow painted fibreglass edging has been crushed all round, driver's side
window seems to have a crack or two, other window gone, I think. Coupler
was hanging at 45 degrees down. 

So it does look as though the collision was pretty much square-on,
consistent with this train rear-ending the down Werribee before it had
left Newport platform 2. The only other alternative, (which Stuart has
ruled out) is the up Werribee rear-ending the up Willi-Newport at 
platform 1, but I would expect more damage from that, let alone all the
other questions such a collision would raise.

Regards,
David.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
David Hoadley                       Internet: s8400157@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au
Electrical Engineering, RMIT
Melbourne, Australia                Ph: +61 3 9925 4847, Fax: +61 3 9925 2007