Thread: How to break the boredom on a long train drive

Thats interesting. A lot of my family are ex-mil and have said the same thing re drugs, alcohol etc and accidents.

I guess the thing that I think is the Disco2 3 amigos is a really good example of a failure that is not necessarily repeatable and not necessarily detectable from an electrical test or disassembly.

The problem for the suspect crew in this case is that there was clear vision of the track in front of them so even if the signals had failed, they still should have seen the approaching train in time to stop.

Everything seems to indicate they fell asleep and at that time of day, it’s pretty well likely that this was the problem.

As for the drugs, not sure over there but here, it’s Zero tolerance for both drugs and alcohol. If you test positive to anything then you are fired on the spot.

It’s a bit rough when you consider that in the case of alcohol, even the police can be ( I think this is the correct level ) .02 and not have a problem but if your a train drive and you were at a party the night before, started work at lunch time and had to do a random drug and alcohol test that came back even .01, your still finished.

But then again, in NSW, the geniuses have been using radar to check train speeds and if the train is just 5 KPH over, the driver is taken off the road for a fortnight and made to do a refresher course.

Costs the driver a fortune in lost pay and does absolutely nothing to improve train safety.

These retards that come up with ideas like speed traps for trains have not got the slightest idea as to what constitutes safe rail operating practices. Their fresh out of uni but they are instant experts in this field, so much so that at one point last year, they had so many drivers of doing refresher courses after being detected speeding that they end up short of drivers, had to cancel trains and the geniuses were told to stop doing it ( for a while ).

But then there is the other perspective from the railways side of things.

What if...

and did they know that...

and what did they do...

and now these are the consequences....

Bugger, you've taken the video down.

I wanted to double check something. I'm sure the train with the camera had a clear signal and it changed to red just as it approached the turnout. I assume the train being crossed ran forward just enough to trip the signal.

If we are crossing a train, for example, at Valley Heights (Tim will know this one), we can't change the points in front of the train being crossed until we've had a time release of 2 minutes elapse. The system won't set up the movement, it is locked out. This is to ensure the train has come to a stand.

If the train that is crossing in front of the stopped train is close by, I'll usually check with the driver of the stopped train that he has actually come to a stand (halt) - just in case he's been running really slowly.



Run

Hi Ron, both videos are still there.

Cheers.

Ahh, I can access them again, Tim.

Yes, if you watch the video, the signals are red over green then just before it gets to the turnout, it changes to double red.

It does, however, appear to be travelling a bit fast for a train about to cross to the passing loop. The points are set for the loop.

Ron

Right on the money Ron, I hadn’t noticed that before but as you say, just before the train clears the stick, it goes back to red.

The track block is obviously tripped by the other train entering the block section.

As for the speed of the train entering the turnout goes, I think you will find this is a high speed turnout and that even if a train was not in the crossing loop, this train and all trains travelling in that direction, would use the right side track.

Although in NSW, passing trains usually have right of way via the main line and any waiting trains will normally be in the loop, here in QLD all trains approaching most branch line loops, enter via a turnout and the opposite end has the straight exit and it looks like similar operations in the States and Canada.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Although in NSW, passing trains usually have right of way via the main line and any waiting trains will normally be in the loop, here in QLD all trains approaching most branch line loops, enter via a turnout and the opposite end has the straight exit and it looks like similar operations in the States and Canada.

I had another look and I think you are right. It does look like a high speed turnout.

Yes, nearly all the passing done in the areas I work are done with the waiting train in the loop. The exception is for Up trains at Valley Heights where, as you know, waiting trains stay on the Up main line and passing trains run around via the Down main line.

From that video, it looked like the railway signals at the level crossing were yellow over yelloe

Ron