Re: Olympic Sprint Platform - Lidcombe

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

In <d9tY2.26302$MB3.38197@newsfeeds.bigpond.com> "Ron BEST" <ronbest@bigpond.com> writes:

>can someone pls tell me whether trailing crossovers used regularly for
>turning trains back have one or both sets of trailing points fitted with
>FPLs? If not, doesn't this contradict the rule about FPLs having to be
>fitted to ALL points used by passenger trains in the facing direction?

In my experience all turnouts used for facing movements have an FPL, or else
they have to be clipped.

However, the actual FPL is often part of the turnout motor mechanism and not
physically located between the switchrails as they are for 'classic' NSW
railway mechanically-operated turnouts which use plunger-style FPL's. I'm
not sure if that's what is actually called a 'plunger lock' or not. 8-)

I don't think all the other states are as fussy about the use of FPL's, but
in NSW any turnout which can have a passenger train carrying passengers run
over it has an FPL, or else it has to be clipped before the train can pass
over it.

For a turnout which may be used very rarely for facing movements, usually an
FPL won't be provided, so a clip has to be used, but if the chance of it
ever happening is miniscule, not installing a locking mechanism is a huge
cost and maintenance saving, especially if the turnout is used extremely
often for trailing movements.

Regards,

Craig.


-- 
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
 Send email to craigd@lios.apana.org.au |  Visit my Australian rail transport
   Professional Train Driver, Cityrail  |      and rail modelling web site:
       and HO scale rail modeller       |   http://lios.apana.org.au/~craigd