Re: Head on in the Western district

[John Dennis <jdennis@acslink.net.au>]

In article <81qbru$3qr$1@nnrp1.deja.com>,
  Notagunzel <notagunzel@my-deja.com> wrote:
> In article <81puc2$20pb$1@otis.netspace.net.au>,
>   "Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au> wrote:
>
> > Reece,
>
> > The present system of securing the points at Ararat yard is purely
> > Victorian Railways, ARTC inherited if from the PTC. The points in
> > question are locked by Master Key and are operated under "Victorian"
> > Section Authority System Rules.
>
> > If ARTC had introduced SA operating proceedures into Ararat, all
they
> > would have provided would be: A Switch Stand and a padlock, locked
> > with a standard AN "S" lock.
>
> Last I knew, and I'm open to corrections, Ararat had Annett Locks at
> each end.  IIRC an A pattern at the Up end and a B pattern at the Down
> end.  The relevent key was kept in a locked box adjacent to the box
> (V5PSW)
>
> It's actually worse than when the SG was first reopened.  At least
then
> they had staff locks on the points, and the Maryborough staff was
> specially hacked so as not to open the main line points.  At some time
> the Staff Locks were replaced with Annett Locks.  Initially there was
A
> pattern at each end, but later the down (?) end got a B pattern lock.
>
> Its actually all very mickey mouse.

>From what I have read we have the situation where trains can travel
across facing points without any indication of their setting.  Are the
annett keys interlocked with anything so that either trains cannot enter
the section of they are removed from "the box", or the Train Controller
cannot issue authority to proceed?

To me it seems scary stuff indeed that trains can be travelling at full
speed over facing points protected by nothing more than a key, without
even any visual indication.

Cheers...JD

--
John Dennis
Home of the Dutton Bay Tramway
http://www.acslink.net.au/~jdennis/dbt.html


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