Re: [Glenbrook]stopping distances

["Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au>]

Richard wrote in (somewhat snipped) message
<384A2D6E.D09ABE0C@primus.com.au>...
>What are the known stopping distances (if any ) for a V-set under emergency
from 25kph, 40, and 50.
>Also...those who know the line...given the location of the comings
together, at what distance would an approaching train
>get an eyeball of the impending situation?


FACTS

Working from a Curve and Gradient book purchased around 1962, there are 14
chain (282m) radius curves ... to the right out of Glenbrook on the up, then
to the left in a cutting, past the point of impact, past the Bruce Rd.
overbridge.  If one wanted to speculate, one could study all the newspaper
photos, estimate the clearance between the cutting wall and the track, and
take a guess.

INFORMED OPINION

I'm not a professional railway person and I know NOTHING about stopping
distances of "V" sets.  I note that those who do know are refraining from
posting anything.

UNINFORMED OPINION

Somebody posted a newspaper's internet report "suggests signal failure as to
the cause of the accident" on Thursday.  (It may be a relevant part of the
jigsaw, but it probably isn't, on it's own, the "cause".)

Somebody posted "We know now about the cover up at Grandville, utterley
refusing to accept / admit that they had a defective Loco, and the lengths
they will go to cover up!" which is a précis of the plot of a fictional
drama run by Channel 10 this year!

We've had a fair bit of speculation about the impact velocity, based on
opinons of how a DIM DDIC motor car and a APMZ motorail waggon might
interact.

MY OPINION

Railway accidents rarely have a single cause.  Rather, a combination of
small failures come together in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I am reasonably confident that, whatever might have happened ten or more
years ago in an "internal inquiry", the Judicial Enquiry / Inquest that has
been set up will leave few stones unturned.

The Zanthus I.P. crash report at
http://www.dot.wa.gov.au/linking/rail_safety.html gives an insight into the
methodology that's now in favour - nobody blamed but ALL the potential
causes pursued.

Rgds

Bill