Re: (VIC) Derailment @ Elders

["< Tell >" <telljb@OZozemail.com.au>]

"Exnarc" <gwrly@netspace.net.au> wrote:
> 
> Firstly, I doubt the authenticity of the good Doctors claim to being the
> only person to hold such safeworking qualifications, I know several others
> who could also make this claim, however this is not the point.

<<Back again Bob.>>
True, Reece Jennings was probably not the only one, he
was reported as the first.
 
> Now to his claim: Yes Serviceton was in many ways inefficient in its
> handling of trains, but this still doesn't overcome the problem that the SA
> side of the border still hasn't got the train capacity that existed and
> exists on the Victorian side of the border with regards to crossing trains.
> We are not now talking of 1970/80, its 1999 and the old SAR is still firmly
> in control of ARTC, Rod's examples of long delays in the Nth East only
> confirm this view, the Train Controllers in SA are really nice blokes, a lot
> more helpful and freindly than Centrol ever was, but they also operate on a
> system that is only a shadow of what exists in the Eastern States.

Yes so much has happened since the seventies, I have
traveled some of the Vic (BG mainlines) and I still
doubt your claim that Victoria was any more "efficient"
at handling long trains than ANR.  Having said that, I
was not driving them.  ;)
 
> Just a side note to the above, the SCT train ex Adelaide often had to split
> into 3 parts to cross trains between Tailem Bend and the border, if this had
> not been done the train would have been held back at Tailem until MA5 etc
> reached there. I recall on several occassions on PB3 having to run up the
> abandoned (old yard) Spur at Wolsley to cross the Westbound SCT (which had
> crossed preceeding trains at Leor and Kaniva Loops), the alternative being,
> (you guessed it), sitting at Tailem Bend until the SCT reached there. All of
> these trains of cause would have fitted in every loop in Victoria from Manor
> to Leor but not one loop in SA (except Tailem) could hold the trains that
> run on this track.

Eh.!  Say again, split in three parts between the bend
and the border.!  Care to elaborate on this.  
 
----Terry Burton
Alice Springs NT
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