Re: Victoria Finally Adopts Modern Safeworking

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

In article <hzHQ2.63$Y77.901@nswpull.telstra.net> "Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com> writes:
>From: "Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>
>Subject: Re: Victoria Finally Adopts Modern Safeworking
>Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1999 23:24:23 +1000

>David Langley <del@ancc.com.au> wrote in message
>371340D2.28132C33@ancc.com.au">news:371340D2.28132C33@ancc.com.au...

>> Further rumours are a return to electric staff working between South
>> Geelong and Winchelsea because of the need to go out to Waurn Ponds and
>> back. Whilst the the main line trains are on the down side of
>> Winchelsea, the Train Staff would be at Winchelsea and so would be
>> unavailable at South Geelong. If the main line train went on a ticket,
>> then the staff would need to be transferred to Winchelsea or (heaven
>> help us) a Line Clear Report issued. However these beast are no longer
>> with us. ES seems the logical answer. What do we use for line wires,
>> dedicated Telstra cables - has been done before between Branxholme and
>> Heywood when Myamyn Loop was provided to replace Condah.

>Just to think, I'm always been told Telstra can't guarruntee correct
>polarity on any circuit!  Perhaps they will Mux the ES onto radio...
>ARRRRGH!  However, I just wonder what the new Yankee owners think about this
>Safeworking Retro Fever?  If Victoria has problems with Train Order, just
>send the Managers over Port Augusta way to see how apparently seamlessly the
>ARTC TO's work.


Actually its not at all hard to do , ie implement ES over radio.
I designed such a beast many years ago mainly for the exercise just to see
what was required.
2 half duplex radios and a bit of logic to implement the 2 wire DC cct to the 
staff instrument.
Whilst it may seem totally futile now ES like OTS or TSAT are extremely cheap 
reliable forms of train safeworking.
Train Orders whilst being very easy to implement require a fair amount of 
ground based infrastructure like the Radio Base Stations and Radios,or
line side telephones.
All of this stuff has to be maintained by someone and its not as cheap as 
maintaining ES instruments or staff boxes.

Ive often wondered why the railways dont simply implement TOs using the
mobile phone network rather than having to use a huge mix of incompatible 
radio systems .
Tasrail before privatization used to do this and its a really cheap way of 
providing TOs.
The only cost is the mobile phone in the loco and the phone bills.

MD