Re: (VIC) Derailment @ Elders

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

< Tell > <telljb@OZozemail.com.au> wrote in message
wd76N5mdEIRrWc5FROqUC=0X4W7M@4ax.com">news:wd76N5mdEIRrWc5FROqUC=0X4W7M@4ax.com...
> "Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au> wrote:
> >
> > Where were these long loops in SA that could handle trains too long for
> > Victoria to handle???
>
> So ANR did not extend any crossing loops over to the
> Victorian border.?  Callington, Monteith come to mind
> they were done in 1979-1980 from memory, there were
> others of course.

Both are gone, Callington would not have exceeded 800m, its currently about
200m, Monteith going by the formation wouldn't have been more that 1000m,
these aren't long loops, infact AN had removed them both long before NRC
started running trains.

>
> > My knowledge of the South Line (That really heads to the Eastern states
from
> > a state that calls itself SOUTH Australia), goes back many years,
(firstly
> > as a fan, then as an Engineman who worked the line before and after
gauge
> > conversion) I don't recall any long loops on the SOUTH Line.
> > Tailem Bend is one, but that is yard, Petwood about 1000m, Belair not
much
> > more and at that time having to contend with Redhens as well. Where are
(or
> > were) these loops that allowed SAR/AN to pump trains to big for VR to
handle
> > over the border?
> > More to the point, there were so few (long) trains running that they
didn't
> > have to cross anything in SA, were as in Victoria the intrastate traffic
at
> > that time was so great that congestion occurred, preventing trains
longer
> > than the loops of the time. As for through running of VR ("C" class)
locos
> > into SA this occurred in 1982 as a normal working (some trials were done
in
> > 1980/81).
>
> Well, common sense would dictate that apart from the
> double track to Belair, why would you want to cross
> long trains between there and over the other side of
> the Adelaide hills, they had local passenger services
> to Bridgewater to contend with as well.

Common sense or not, SAR/AN didn't have the room, long loops in the hills
would be a God send, if only to allow trains to pass (run through) a slower
train or a train in trouble, VR built this capacity into the Ballarat line.

> > The Western Line (that heads WEST out of Victoria) was upgraded to 60kg
rail
> > and long crossing loops (1600m or 1 mile) between 1980 to 1984 as far as
> > Maroona to Serviceton. Still today the old SAR line over the border is
still
> > light rail and short crossing loops, the only improvement (and a big
> > improvement it is) is concrete sleepers.
>
> Why was the tonnage per train increased well over what
> the SAR used to haul to the Vic border.

Because loco HP ratings increased I guess. Vehicle capacity also increased
with the introduction of all bogie trains.

> WHY did ANR triple the EE 900 class, not even the much
> revered SAR thought of that one.

They probably did, lets face it, most AN Management came from the revered
SAR.

> Why did it take until the 1/1/1982 some two and half
> years after the first trials of a Vic loco working
> through to Adelaide, to begin full time working.

You tell me? And don't try to blame the AFULE because we never stopped it
happening!!!

> Why were ANR trains held at various sidings West of
> Serviceton because of delays and stuff ups on the
> Victorian side.  ANR management were more than annoyed
> on numerous occasions.

Can't give you the answer you want on that one Terry, I wasn't privy to what
annoyed AN Management.
>
> The real problem was/is this, nobody likes change too
> much, the ex SAR employees hated ANR,

>Vicrail employees hated ANR, the strikes, stopwork meetings, bans and
> limitations were legendary.  But in the end they all lost, the only winner
was >road transport.

I don't think you know what your talking about on that one Terry, sounds
like South Australian paranoia coming through there, why did Vicrail
employees hate ANR????  I was a Vicrail employee then and I can't remember
any mass meetings of employees stating they hated ANR, VR Management yes,
but we never even thought about ANR, why should we??? They had nothing to do
with us!!!

Now on the question of bans, that had nothing to do with ANR, most (although
not all) bans that effected Interstate trains involved the Melbourne Yard
Shunters Section of the ARU, they were bans (rightly or wrongly) aimed at VR
Management. They paid the ultimate price for their actions, management
closed the Melbourne Yard, got rid of the trouble makers and moved all the
traffic to Tottenham which was not as militant.

As far as trucks getting all the traffic, yes this was part of the cause,
however the gauge conversion with huge speed restrictions, poor loco and
vehicle reliability had a far bit to do with it too.

Bob.