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G'day BW,
TUT tut on hitting that curve too hard.
You weren't attempt to make yer train into a tilt train ?
I suffered a scare while working the Silver Streak westward ho in 1989.
Zooming through Gemalla on the 90 speed, you let it coast down in speed for the 70 kph reverse curves in the cutting at the top of the slight rise.
Hit the 70 board at 71 kph just nice and commenced to power up for the climb through the reverse curve.
You dragged it over the top and shut off once out of the cutting.
BUT, E GADs what a spectacle greeted us on the second bend in the cutting.
It was a VERY HOT day and before WOLO restrictions were implemented.
The track looked like spaghetti.
I quickly shut off power and hit the anchors.
NOT emergency as I feared that would make it worse by spreading the rails even more.
We hit the buckles and the old 80 class lurched and shuddered.
Me china coffee cup flew across the cab and smashed.
We were both holding onto our seats to prevent being tossed onto the cab floor.
I was watching the car carrier wagon behind the locos attempting to fling the cars into the bush.
She finally came to a stop.
I got on the two way radio to ask the tail gunner if he was ok and if we were still on the track.
It had definitely woke him up in his caboose.
The head poe juggler got on the two way to report that the dining car was a mess, but he thought that it was still all upright on the track.
After confirming that all was ok, I released the brakes and let the train roll down hill to the Locksley block signal.
Stopping there to use the circuit phone to call the pointcop at Tarana.
I knew that there was a freighter following us.
I suggested that he close the track until it could be inspected.
But, TC opted to plonk a 20 kph speed restriction on the curves.
When we got to Parkes and went to the Pub, eventually the Lithgow crew on the freighter hoofed in.
They bellowed that hitting the buckles at 20 kph they thought that they were in the dirt.
YEH, well WE hit it at track speed 70 kph, I retorted.
Yes, there are forms of ATP ATC in use down-under.
It is planned for the NSW suburban network.
But, not yet fully implemented in the smog hollow Metrop region.
The stupid SLR, Sydney light rail does have it.
QR has it on the North Coast line now, but when the QR tilt train really tilted, such was not in action outside of the Brissy Metrop.
In the case of them buckled rails, unless the track is broken as a result, I don't think that ATP / ATC would prevent a derailment due to buckled rails.
YES, today, when ever the temp reaches 38C, WOLO restrictions are imposed to reduce train speeds.
Down in Tassie, under that hole in the ozone layer, the heat creates effects of at least 5 degrees to the actual thermometer reading.
I remember hitting some buckled track that resembled a right angle.
Only doing 30 kph at the time, and I thought that I was still going bush.
Them old EEs just lurched and groaned, but made it through by the time the train stopped.
TC bunged a 10 kph restriction on it.
The Tassie computerized safeworking system today (not in operation during my era) had a 2 kph overspeed detection.
But, after many trains were slamming to an emergency stop when the train was barely 2 kph over the speeds, management have made it a tad more generous.
So, now the computer will apply the brakes if the train is 5 kph or more over the speed.
Steve.
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