Re: Locked Points still does not stop a crash!

["Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

casey-joe <berlinaNObeSPAM@bigpond.com.invalid> wrote in message
09920fb9.0adf53c3@usw-ex0102-010.remarq.com">news:09920fb9.0adf53c3@usw-ex0102-010.remarq.com...

> Riggs Creek Loop on the Victorian North East, is a prime example of
> points that cannot be interfered with (as they always lay to the left,
> but can be broken by a train approaching from the reverse direction)

A Trailable Loop, yes...

> An indicator at each end tells the Driver that the points are locked in
> the correct position.

Green & Yellow fishtails, no less...

> The unsafe aspect is that you rely on the Drivers memory, and alertness
> to ensure he does not enter the single line section, should a cross be
> timetabled.

This is a problem anywhere on TO or SAW teritory, reliance is placed on the Driver
correctly interperting the TO or SA correctly.  If you have 2 trains following, if
the 2nd passes a block point without an Order, it could find the first train stalled
or something.  It's not the Trailable Loop, it's simpaly compliance with the TO.

> What would happen if the Up Pass failed to wait at Riggs Creek, and the
> Down was out of site around the corner?

Much the same thing as what happened at Mt Christie, a nasty prang.

> Persistent rumours say that
> this has happened already,and more than once, and that Victorias
> amazing good luck, was called upon again, when the down was running
> several minutes late, and a Conductor warned the Driver he had erred!
> This same rumour also suggested that the oncoming train was close
> enough to hear the Conductors end to end radio, and bring his train to
> a stand whilst the other driver reversed back into the loop, back to
> the other end of the loop, and forward again into his correct road to
> effect the cross! Have not spoken to either Driver, but the Conductor
> has been talking.....or so the rumour goes.

Are Victorian Drivers taught to check the train order when passing every location?
One of the interstate systems IIRC does.  Also, on the ARTC IIRC every train reports
through every siding.  One of the much maligned features of the SAW is that a fresh
authority is obtained through every Loop/BP, *however* one big benifit is that it
*should* be more difficult to have a Mt Christie type misread, as the lack of forward
authority is immediatey obvious.

It's not so much a problem with the crossing loop design, more management of how the
TO's are issued, and management of fatigue.

Just my $0.02 (+10%GST) worth... |-)

--
Mr Notagunzel.
Happier in a NE Pass then a Bus any day.
notagunzel@bigfoot.com
(Waiting for the next move at http://www.bigfoot.com/~notagunzel)