Re: Train Order working

["michael ostrowski" <mfo@netwit.net.au>]

>From what I have been hearing, there have been communication problems with
train order working, in particular with Orange Train Control and NR
workings. A few weeks ago the return Trailerail, basically lost contact with
Orange for most of the journey from Manildra to Orange. I have also heard of
delays due to trains not being able to log on with Orange Train Control.
Maybe its just a problem with the NR locos, or the hills around here.

WhaleOilBeefHooked wrote in message <7t22sm$ovh$1@news1.mpx.com.au>...
>michael ostrowski <mfo@netwit.net.au> wrote in message
>news:37f4912c@nap-ns1...
>> Trains do close to 120 kms/h over the Orange-Broken Hill line, if the
>track
>> was as poor as you are saying we would not have the growth in East-West
>> traffic we are currently seeing. Train order working would cut time down
>as
>> trains would not have to slow down between towns, etc, to exchange the
>
>They do more than slow down - they stop. The safeworking is staff and
>ticket, and crews work their own trains through. The only time a train does
>not have to stop is when it crosses another train - the crew of the first
>train will work the second train through, so the second train will not have
>to stop.
>
>> staff, also saving fuel. Most of the track between Parkes and Broken Hill
>is
>> straight and would not require the level of maintenance that other lines
>do,
>> such as Sydney-Brisbane.
>
>Quite right - one of the problems is that the line has been allowed to
>deteriorate. It will take a fair amount of money to bring it back up to
>scratch. Once this is done, however, the relatively low traffic levels and
>the nature of the line (in terms of gradients and curvature) mean that very
>little maintenance is required to keep it to that standard.
>
>> From what I have been hearing, communications problems are the main thing
>> delaying train order working and any thing about the line being so poor
is
>> just crap. Do any speed restrictions even exist on the line?
>
>I believe the communications issue is a furphy as well. If the USN (and the
>RAN, for that matter) can have secure communications with units deployed
>across the world, why is it so hard with trains on a given stretch of line?
>Also, looking at the TAR, if they can operate train orders across the
>Nullabor, there is no reason why it cannot be done from OAG-BHQ. Oh, that
is
>right, Australian railways have to reinvent the wheel, don't they.....
>
>DaveP
>
>
>