I have popped back to this threat, as I have uploaded a couple of photos into the Gallery.
The first showing the TRAD NSWR derailer which sits on top of the rail.
We nicknamed this type as a Lizard.
https://www.railwayforum.net/gallery...a_nsw_1985.jpg
A revolving disc shunt signal is attached to indicate which was the derailer is positioned.
A red target and light when the derailer is in position and cannot be passed.
A white arrow and light when the derailer is removed and can be passed.
It being worked from ground frame B.
This derailer in Tarana yard in NSW no longer exists, nor does the Down Starter upper quad semaphore.
There being no connection from the reduced yard at the west end to the main line today.
I had mentioned Lawson UP Refuge and how there is very little overrun from the Loop UP starter to the catch point.
https://www.railwayforum.net/gallery..._june_2002.jpg
While you cannot see that catch point in the uploaded photo, you can see the deflection rail associated with such.
Go past the stick and you are definitely in the dirt and going to cop aggro from management.
4500 tonner coalies of today are too long for the refuge so no longer get diverted in there.
I mentioned the cement pot run-away at Kandos works, and have uploaded the photo that I took at the time.
https://www.railwayforum.net/gallery...s_4_7_1989.jpg
I am standing on the main line (Mudgee branch) taking the shot of our 442 class weasel and the pot.
Over the years, there was more than one cement pot run-away and rattle over the old turn table.
At some stage, a STOP BLOCK was placed across the rails before the turn table.
That in an attempt to prevent the errant pots from crossing the table and getting buried in the mud.
I am not sure if the old turn table still exists, the Kandos cement works has been closed for 9 years.
Not all Loops possessed a catch point (jack pionts as we called them).
Mainly only those with potential overrun due to misjudgment of train handling.
One such being Tumulla Loop, perched halfway up the 1 in 40 Tumulla bank.
Eastbound trains dropping down the hill faced the run-away embankment catch points at the end of the loop.
And, out through them jacks did the train go that I was working as fireman on my first shift out on the road.
My driver had lost it on the approach to Tumulla loop and we became a run-away.
The incident scared the "you know what" out of me, and prompted RESPECT for steep hills for me.
Fortunately, the train did finally stop just before tragedy.
Barely 12 inches of metal remaining under the front wheels on the run-away road.
BUT, the lack of jacks at Geurie in NSW on the line from Orange to Dubbo contributed to a nasty prang.
In august 1963, westbound goods 669 was tabled to cross the eastbound Mail train W58 at Geurie.
W58 tabled through Geurie at 2033 / 2034, was worked by soot belcher 3817, 4-6-2.
Goods 669 on the night of the incident was worked by monster soot belcher 6003, 4-8-4+4-8-4.
The single line safe working system being Electric Train Staff token working.
Info available about the prang is limited.
To access the official incident report, you must pay the NSW State Archives mob, which I won't bother.
No fatalities occurred, though many cattle aboard the Mail were injured.
Many being cattle in the sleeper cars tumbling out of the top bunks.
The info spruiked states that train 669 reversed into the Loop from the Dubbo end.
However, the tail gunners caboose became foul at the rear end of the Sydney end loop points.
So, the goods moved forward to clear the rear end.
But, in doing so, passed the clearance post and fouled the main line at the Dubbo end.
The Garratt being so long that in the dark, the crew could not see that clearance post.
W58 approached and slammed into the partially foul front left side of the Garratt.
3817 derailing and ending up on it's side, the Garratt being shoved backwards and jack-knifing into the silos.
Attested speed being spruiked as at 20 MPH.
HMMMMMMMM.
The impact time being attested as at 2044, thus inferring that W58 was running ten minutes late.
HMMMMMMMM
Both soot belchers were subsequently written off and scrapped.
Had jack points existed at Geurie, then the pilot bogie of the Garratt would have derailed and slew away from the main line.
With the then UP Home semaphore signal being barely 300 feet from the Dubbo end Loop points, train 669 would have had to pass such to then reverse into the loop.
ETS rules dictate that to shunt outside of a Home stick, the ETS token for that section MUST be obtained.
That preventing an opposing train from entering the section while shunting is occurring.
DID they grab the Geurie to Wongarbon ETS peg to perform the shunt ?
IF so, that may account for the tardy W58.
Being tardy, was W58 train speed only 20 MPH when it slammed into the foul left side of the Garratt ?
The photos portraying the damage seem to infer a higher impact speed.
Regardless, the incident reinforces that any potential fouling of the main line can result in tragedy.
Steve.