Re: Warragul line (Vic) questions

[bdunn@pcug.org.au (Brian Dunn)]

le19 Nov 1998 18:31:40 GMT,  ecrivait:

>I don't know if this is true but a ganger once told me that the
reason the
>double track was never finished is because they kept sinking pilings
for the
>Bunyip River bridge but they could never find "bedrock?" (I think
thats what he
>called it, as I'm not a geologist I'm not sure if thats the correct
term.)
>
Mark.

I travelled daily between Officer and Warragul and then Nar Nar Goon
and Warragul on the dreaded "school traiin"  1977-78. I heard the soft
footings tale from the Jack the guard, who retired as a passenger
guard in 1979.

Someone mentioned the auto staff exchangers on the L classes.I don't
recall them used. I have a faint memory of an exchanger soomewhere,
perhaps Longwarry. The stopping train' staff was always done by the
then usual disinterested staff!

There were many mishaps over these years. One of the more interesting
was the level crossing gate at Longwarry not being locked in place as
the up Gippslander passed through. The steel pole on the gate swing
into the train and took the axlebox casting out from a freshly
restored BW (I think it was). Oops! overhauled, not restored!. The
crew finally noticed the utterly unlubricated bearing by Nar Nar Goon.
I have a close up photo of the axle bearing surface.

There were downed overhead wires, traction motors burning and catching
fire, and the threats of extreme injury to the kids who would pull the
chain along the line. The school train would fly. 60 and 65 mph
between stops was the rule.

Cheers
Brian