Re: Near miss at Meadowbank

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <7bhlao$mdn14@atbhp.corpmel.bhp.com.au>,
Chris Stratton <stratton.chris.cp@bhp.com.au> wrote:
>Heard on the radio this morning that someone fell off the platform at
>Meadowbank and only missed getting hit by stretching out between the rails.
>The only injuries received were from the fall from the platform. Must have
>been a slim person as I didn't think there was much clearance under current
>trains.

 There isn't. I went to school with a guy who unsucessfully tried this
trick on a dare in front of friends while drunk.
 He won't be trying that again, and his friends and the train crew needed
counselling for some time afterwards.

 At Meadowbank the balast must have been flat (down to the sleepers) and
the person rather thin, and heavy (high) rails. Cityrail practice is to
have balast heaped rather high over the sleepers and the traction motor
gear cases are not very far above rail height. There are also brackets
and piping under the gondola as well, all things that could catch and make
a rather nasty tear.

 That person was dammed lucky....