Re: [Melb.] Hillside Express Shopper Trains

[cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au (Christopher_Martin GORDON)]

: > The train is formed by a three car comeng from Alamein.  About 9:30 in the
: > morning two six car trains run empty from FSS to Camberwell (via
: Riversdale)
: > which split to form 4 three car trains.  Only 3 three car trains are
: needed
: > to provide the Camberwell-Alamein shuttle so the forth three car set will
: > be used for the Camberwell-Ringwood runs.  This then joins back up at
: > Camberwell later in the day and runs empty (6 car) to FSS.

: I haven't got these new TT's only WTT.2004/99, so:

: The Up from Riversdale arrives into which platform?  If its Platform 1 then
: your stuffed, but if it's Platform 2 then you should be able to depart
: direct to the Down line.

None of the above.

The train arrives into the sidings (usually B or C) and then splits, then 
they run via Siding A to platform 3 and follow a down LIL/BEG train and over
the flyover to ALM.  So I suppose the first train will run via Siding A, or
maybe signal 28 who knows.

: > After arrival at Camberwell the train will shunt and re-dock (S&R) via
: > signal 28 (dwarf, shunt from down line, under the flyover) and ment to
: > shunt into platform 3, however shunt from down line to platform 3 is
: > NOT a signalled move.  Since there is no "Limit of Shunt" or signal at the
: > Up end of platform 3.

: Errrr.....do the Safeworking people realise this?  I remember watching a
: Signaller try this once when he was trying to run around a tea kettle around
: a charter, verbaled the driver past the dwarf, and got themselves totally
: tracklocked.  I don't think this move, if it even starts, will survive very
: long.

I think the train will just run from Platform 2, unless they want to stuff
around running via siding A.  A few transposes won't hurt it is all three
car comengs.  Can they shunt to the centre line in the up direction at CAM?

: > And just more trains to set the level crossings at Heatherdale, Mitcham,
: > Rooks, Springvale, Blackburn and Middleborough roads to the wrong
: > stopping pattern (ie express/stopper) and it will be only a matter of
: > time before there is an accident either by the level crossing not
: > protecting the train or staying down too long and someone driving around
: the
: > crossing.

: The only real solution would be a new Express/Stopping system based on a box
: (say Ringwood) transmitting with each train a full stopping pattern, not
: just a simple Stopping or Express.  i.e. not just PR's but some sort of data
: transmission & processing.

: This Skip Stop sort of stopping pattern really kills the current selection
: along here, based mostly on timing the dwell of the train at the previous
: station.

I suppose when the put the three tracks through then the best solution would
be grade seperation, but at least have either Box Hill or Ringwood controlling
the section, or better still have Ringwood controlling Box Hill-Ringwood.

But for the time being maybe they need to switch in Blackburn, Mitcham and 
Box Hill (for the up express through Mont Albert and Surry Hills) but that
would cost money and be too hard for Hillside.

Or have what they used to have at Essendon, which is a button operated by
station staff for express. eg "Push button for down express through 
Heatherdale when signal panel switcher out"

: --
: Mr Notagunzel.
: Rail Transportation Connoisseur
: notagunzel@bigfoot.com
: (Regrets to announce there will be no further moves at
: http://www.geocities.com/nota_gunzel
: until further notice is issued from this office)



--

Chris Gordon
http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~cmgord

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