Re: Head on in the Western district

["Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au>]

John Kerley <deaftech@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
A8t04.13061$MZ.90168@ozemail.com.au">news:A8t04.13061$MZ.90168@ozemail.com.au...
>snip<
> >  >Point indicators are of little use on a
> > > 115kph main line, especially as Ararat is merely an "intermediate
> siding"
> > > and not a crossing station as Zanthus is.

>sniped again<

> I believe that the only safe form of protection for sidings on a railway
> where speeds of up to 115 kph and also passenger trains are permitted, is
> either a system where the lock to the siding is interlocked with the
Section
> Authority, such as was the case with ES and when travelling on staff under
S

> Therefore in my view only absolute signals preceeded by repeaters provide
> the necessary protection on a "high speed" railway.   Even the CRT siding
> type repeaters are inadequate.  Absolute protection is needed as well.

I can't agree, whilst I agree the prefered option is CTC etc. Repeating
Signals will protect and give adequate warning of the position of the
points, to which the driver will respond, lets face it, the whole safety on
the railway eventually relies on the integraty of the Driver, even fully
interlocked track circuited signals require the driver to respond. Had
Ararat had a Repeating signal between the loop and the points the driver
would have stopped in time (allowing for a run down before the points could
be opened). Likewise again, had the signal at the Loop been interlocked
(with suitable run down) with the Annett Key or points it would not have
happened either.


> Certainly at Ararat given its additional status as a "junction siding" ,
> absolute signals should be provided asp.

 Why??? Its not a true junction. The Maryborough Branch terminates in the
yard, not on the mainline, the traffic levels (1 train a day/week) would
make you suggestion an overkill. Sure it needs better protection, I doubt if
anyone would argue with that, but full signalling without CTC is an overkill
in my opinion.

> It is also ironic, which I think you pointed out in another post, that if
> the CTC had  not been pulled out between Ararat and Pyrenees Loop, this
> incident would not have happened.  A further irony is that the security at
> Ararat was recently further down graded by providing not one but two
>Annett keys so that both ends of the siding could be left open at once!!!

Yes thats right, however, any of the above remedies would fix that, CTC to
Newport is probably not all that far off anyway, as I believe ARTC don't
really want the ASW to stay, so I guess Ararat will eventually be
electrically locked again (probably by Switch Lock not Absolute Signals).

Bob.