Re: Melton - Bacchus Marsh close revisited.

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

David Langley wrote

>The signals at Manor, Gheringhap, Wingeel, Berrybank, Vite Vite and
>Tatyoon Loops are also point indicators are they not. I have heard that
>the drivers refer to them as home signals but as you mention above, they
>do not give right of way only indicate that the road is set and locked.
>What happened to the requests to have distant signals provided?


Distant signals are badly needed for these loops as without them you can never 
get main line running speeds , at least when approaching the loops as there is 
no guarantee that even if you have an authority the arrival home signal / 
point indicator, whatever it is will be clear, ie the signals / indicators 
arnt in anyway related to the issuing of the orders.
The difficulty possibly in the provison of distant signals , is the stupid 
rules , in that they would really not be distant signals , but arrival signal 
/ point indicator repeaters.
In any other form of Safe working (btw IMHO ASW is not safeworking but simply 
train control,(theres nothing safe about it.) a distant signal indicates 
amongst other things that you can expect a clear run thru the loop and out the 
other end.
Since we dont have departure homes , but rely totally on the authorities , and 
the signal indications arnt in anyway related to the authorities , we need 
some methodology to clear the distants when trains are approaching , which 
means a leading track cct some 2 -3 kms in front of the distant.
The distant would need to be 2-3 kms out from the loop itself.
This means track circuiting the single line sections some 4 to 6 kms out from 
each side of each loop.
We are very slowly adding all the bits needed for CTC , so why not just bite 
the bullet.

MD