Re: Train Accident in Blue Mountains

["Rod" <comtrain@mpx.com.au>]

Thomas Fothergill <s370507@student.uq.edu.au> wrote in message
384a65b9@vk4lw.caboolture.net.au">news:384a65b9@vk4lw.caboolture.net.au...
> > Any derailment yes. A derailment causing both vehicles to be left
> > leaning at 30 degree angles, intermeshed for approximately five metres,
> > blocking both running lines, I would think requires something more.
>
> have you ever seen those crash tests they do for cars.. they are largely
run
> at 60km/h and look what happens to the car!!... remember a 4car Vset would
> have WAY more inertia than a family car! and not to mention it was hitting
a
> knife-like object (comparitavely) as opposed to a brick wall!.  60km/h may
> not seem like much but its DEFINATELY capable of that.  now the question
> only remains as to why the driver was travelling at those speeds around a
> low vis. corner under a passed red.
He still got out of his seat, set the brake, unlocked/opened the door,
pushed through a crowded vestibule and found time to warn/save as many
passengers as he could and end up in the middle of the car. It just does not
add up! Once coming down Bankbox with 1970 tonnes behind  my locos, I
applied the brake to ensure I did not overspeed, and actually increased
speed for over 3 km! By this time I was out of Dynamic and into Emergency.
I found out later it was millions of catterpillars, all of which decided to
follow the leader up the nice shiny rail!

Another problem on this bank, which usually affected climbing trains was a
type of grass seed which used to lay like snow all over the ballast and
rails for a few weeks each year. It was so slippery that trains would
regularly stall at this time of year. At Rossanna one morning I had a 3 car
Comenge, just out of the shops, and as I approached down the hill from
Heidleberg, light rain began to fall, it had been dry for some weeks, so the
rails were very greasy! I applied the brakes at the correct spot, and
noticed the slip slide controlls were making an unusual racket, I went
sailing through the platform, past the red auto and onto the crossing
scaring the shit out of a Falcon Taxi, and staring into the eyes of a Ford D
series Trucker who slammed his brakes on as I cleared his truck by
inches....[Slip slides had all released, at the same time and I had no
brakes at all] What I am trying to say is you really should be carefull [We
are not qualified!]trying to lay blame.
Rod