Re: Electric Staff in Victoria

[krel4203@netconnect.com.au (Krel )]

On Thu, 06 May 1999 23:37:40 +1000, David Langley <del@ancc.com.au>
wrote:

>> What other states used what VR termed automatic electric staff, and
>> where else was it in use in Victoria?
>
>Currently in use on the Frankston - Somerville - Hastings sections. Was
>used on Wodonga - Bandiana for a short time prior to the bg being removed.
>When the Portland line was provided with long loops at Glen Thompson and
>Dunkeld and new loops at Grampians, Miakite and Myamyn. The electric staff
>was set up for auto working and the sections were Maroona - Willaura- Glen
>Thompson - Dunkeld - Hamilton - Miakite Loop - Myamyn Loop - Heywood.
>Later Willaura Loop replaced Willaura and Grampians Loop opened and the
>staff section was Train Staff & Ticket to Miakite with Hamilton being an
>intermediate siding. These sections were notable for using Telstra land
>lines inlieu of railway aerials.
>
Interseting that (AFAIK) in Victoria to obtain an electric staff
(non-automatic) both signallers had/have to grind away on a magneto
whilst in NSW they just hold down on the bell tap thingy. 

Getting to Automatic electric staff - in NSW a strange wooden box on
the wall with key hole converted normal electric staff instuments to
automatic working. In Vic it seems that instruments were either auto
or non-auto, I haven't heard of switching (David??). 

Frankston-Somerville-Hastings is operated automatically all the time
even though Frankston is manned (personned?) nearly all of the time
and Hastings is attended on dayshift. A steel box on the wall has a
button which is pressed to obtain a release to pull a staff.

Another intesting point is that Vic seems to have less qualms about
swinging the staff. In normal operation this almost never ocurred in
NSW but in Vic things are different. At Frankston the "Motor" hangs on
to the staff and does not give it up to Frankston box after each trip
unless it is requested to enable another train to run. 

There are, also, two methods of opereating Long Island Junction. The
points are staff-locked and, after the arriving train is in the
siding, in clear and the points restored the staf is sunk in the
intermediate instrument. For departure a staff is obtained prior to
operating the points. The other method is as follows - After the train
arrives the pointsare left lying for the sidng and the annet key is
removed locking points and staff. The train shunts and when ready to
depart pushes a key secured button to clear the departure signal and
proceeds out onto the mainline; the annet key is restored and the
points normalised and staff released.


Cheers

Krel

Just another eccentric crank.