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G'day BW,
Crikey, I would definitely fail a shrink test.
That ink blot test style thing etc.
Awareness and instinct are things that can definitely be improved with experience.
But, such is probably an innate sense to start with.
The old blokes reckoned that if you experienced a lot of dramas and problems when in training such would hold you in good stead for the future when you were at the helm.
I also think that some blokes were just jinxed.
One of my work nicknames was the Jinx.
But, the things that I broke were things that had been modified unsuccessfully.
There was a big drama at Waterfall on the Illawarra line south of smog hollow in 1993.
Two eight car emu sets could be stabled in each yard road.
The yard is in a dip rising upwards at each end of the roads.
The first set into a road would be left just in clear with NO brakes applied.
It could not roll out.
And saved that crew from needing to hoof from the far end of the yard.
The auto knuckle couplers would be left locked shut.
The second set in would then shove the first set up the hill, but not couple up to it.
Brakes being applied to that second set.
The next dawn, the first crew would prep and whistle out with one of the front sets.
The set behind simply rolling down into the bowl following the front set.
The next crew on duty would claim that set saving walking distance.
When I discovered this facet, I did shudder.
Well, it hit the fan and everywhere else when the second crew REVERSED out of the yard.
This also to save changing ends time.
The first train was still parked on the station platform.
The second crew did not have the road to exit the yard.
SLAM, smash, snot, crash BOOM.
Trains need to power up hill out of the yard and onto the main line.
But, going through the jack points, the errant train slewed into the other one parked on the platform.
WHAT a MESS.
The impact brought down the concrete pedestrian footbridge.
The tail gunner of the second train, WHO was supposed to BELL BACK the driver was not in his caboose.
Awareness and instinct are valuable insights.
But, some blokes will still take SHORT CUTS to achieve things where possible.
It was most fortunate that NOBODY was injured or worse.
Very few cattle around at that time of morning.
The mess was still evident the following day when I worked through there.
Trackwork in effect to rectify the mess for some time.
Ah the good ole days.
Steve.
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