Re: Train Accident in Blue Mountains

[billboltonREMOVE-TO-EMAIL@computer.org (Bill Bolton)]

Dion Williams <onamission@start.com.au> wrote:

> > Really, how do you figure that?  The IP locos had reportedly just
> > started to move so the slack was probably still bunched for most of
> > the 17 car train.
> 
> Thus a significant portion of it, probably more than the weight of the
> IU, was still at stop and able to absorb the force of the impact via
> slack couplings.

The IP was effectively still stopped on a downgrade, there would have
been no "slack" in the couplings.

> > Remember, not only did the driver have time to warn passengers, but
> > another male passenger had time to start warning the upper deck
> > passengers based on the drivers warning, so there were two sets of
> > reaction times involved for the upper deck warning.  For this all to
> > occur within 6 seconds would be a truly remarkable event.
> 
> On the other hand it was a short enough period for the passengers in the
> front middle deck area of the leading IU car to be unable to move from
> their positions prior to the impact

How do you know that?  As far as I'm aware, they have been no reports
as to the actual physical position of those passengers.

Cheers,

Bill