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Ah ok BW, thanx for that detailed description.
I had thought that the test would result in an emergency application by tripping the bogie lever.
And, I thought that such testing might create an AUTOMATED response by the driver.
Loose the air, shove it into emergency until air flow stopped, and then release to reset the trip lever.
So, the test dingus gets depressed, and does not possess the rigidity to cause the trip lever (pendulum as we calls it here) to go off vertical and dump the air.
No such digus here.
Though, there are portable trip blocks that can be plonked down beside the track for emergency purposes, and also for train brake response testing.
I was sent down to perform some union train brake testing back in the early 1990s.
Belt the empty car train along a section of closed to traffic track and hit the temporary trip block.
Sand bags plonked on seats to replicate cattle weight.
Then measuring the distance from the trip block to where the train finally stopped.
Various set types possessing differing braking systems and abilities.
It was real fun when squirting water on the track.
WOOHOOO, I'll finally stop after crossing the state border.
Smog hollow emu and now dmu trains must have the trip apparatus in operation at each end of the set, but not within the set.
The trip lever locked up after amalgamation, that pair of cabs being now in the middle of the train.
Should the trip not be locked up, then it will hit the first signal passed by the train.
That signal going to STOP as the front passes it, and the trip raising.
And, after uncoupling to create two shorter trains, trip lever locked into active position.
The train safety apparatus will not provide power when the specific cab trip lever is locked up.
The rear trip pendulum naturally being on the opposite side of the track to signalling and trips would ONLY go off if hitting something laying near to the track.
The trip remaining set at the rear to facilitate quick turnaround at terminus stations.
But, the front trip can also hit materials laying near to the track.
I was travelling home pas one time from smog hollow riding up front with the Lithgow Daddy (senior driver having transferred to the interurban roster, aka partially retired).
Slamming down through the ten tunnels we espied a wild goat trot in ahead of us.
Sure enough, the front trip went off hitting the body of the snotted goat.
I was out the cab door and down on the bottom step holding onto the handrails attempting to reset the trip pendulum before we lost all of the air and forced to stop.
After a number of thumps with me boot, I got the pendulum reset and the air dump stopped.
We could keep rattling down the hill.
We were very late due to other dramas.
How stupid was I.
But, I was younger and invincible back then.
The tunnel wall whisking past me earlobes as I held on outside the cab.
Yes, intermediate trips exist at various locations on the underground and in the atmosphere sections for terminus and locations where quad track converges into double track.
Riding around with smog hollow hoggers I did get stunned by their approach to these dingi.
Having FAITH that the trip would drop, they just let the train roll.
You would not see that trip drop, even when standing up to squiz out the cab windscreen.
It is a bozner safety system and has saved numerous serious incidents in smog hollow.
Especially when combined with the double overlap.
Though, has never been fitted to locomotives for pas or freight.
The XPT (pseudo HST) power cars are now fitted, but regarded as a dmu.
Steve.
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