Re: "lost" trains

[Jonathan Lau <jonlau@ozemail.com.au>]

nobody wrote:

> The Beresfield crash happened in an area with electric signals (interesting to
> note the arm meant to trip the brakes of a train which could have stopped the
> beresfield incident isnt on that line even though it is one of the most busy
> and has the heaviest trains in NSW).

Trains stops wouldn't have made a difference in the Beresfield crash, even if
they were installed trackside because Locomotives aren't fitted with trip arms.
I don't think the 620 Class & Endeavour railcars that are in service in the
Hunter Valley are fitted with them either.

>
> The 1988 incident where an interurban hit a train hauled by 3801 on the Cowan
> Bank was apparently blamed on the use of sand on the locomotive preventing any
> short circuit. Perhaps the old rail grinders that used to be attached to
> trains could see service again! Not that a complete check of every wheel in
> NSW would go astray.
>

Cowan Bank incident was in 1990. Aren't Locomotives now required to have a sand
blower fitted to blow away old sand?

Jon Lau

>
> Brendan
>
> Brendan
>
> "Keith Malcolm" <keithm@commslab.gov.au> wrote in message
> keithm.48.38614947@commslab.gov.au">news:keithm.48.38614947@commslab.gov.au...
> > with regard to trains, light engines etc "disappearing" from track
> diagrams, I
> > wonder if the sensitivity (or shunting) of track circuit relays might be
> > significant?
> >
> > Perhaps shunting of the track by wet dirty ballast could cause false
> operation
> > of signals and "corrective action" involving reducing the sensitivity of
> the
> > relays might result in "lost" trains or intermittent false operation of
> > signals.
> >
> > Also, is it significant that such events appear to occur (in NSW at least)
> in
> > the electrified area? (Perhaps there are no track circuits outside of the
> > electrified area - I wouldn't have thought that to be the case.)
> >
> >
> > Keith G Malcolm
> > 23 Dec 99
> >