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G'day BW,
No woodpeckers here, been too cold.
HA !
Got some magpies, magpie larks, red wattle birds, crested pigeons, starlings and a few black birds outside.
Plus, one grotty grey quarrian inside the hovel.
And, is that grotty grey annoying me during lockdown.
He has not seen me so much ever before, and will probably go berserk when again left home alone.
We are promised some freedoms when reaching 70 % double jabbed, and yet more when 80 % double jabbed.
I have been double jabbed since august 1st., but the general jab rollout has been rather lethargic.
And sadly, people are dropping like flies now, mostly them who are unjabbed or with medical complications.
All of the NSWR emu trains have a deadman control, plus some dmu trains.
That being incorporated into the master controller handle.
The original versions requiring the motorman to hold down the master controller while in gear and powering.
So, YES yer right arm biceps did get bulky from holding down the master controller, even while coasting.
The more creative motorman discovering that plonking yer work bag over the handle sufficed.
Naturally, IMMEDIATE termination of employment resulted if caught doing this.
But, YES in an emergency just let go of the master controller and the air dumps creating an emergency brake application.
Later versions have the combination of the T bar twist throttle and also the foot pedal.
Choosing one or the other to work the deadman control.
Maintaining the foot pedal pressure while rattling along on rough track can be a challenge.
Press down too hard or get bounced upwards and loose pressure both resulting in the air dumping.
The twist T bar throttle was even worse and resulted in RSI injury.
I had played with the Tangarbage sets featuring the T bar throttle.
And yes, becoming a PAIN after a while to keep hold of, even while coasting.
The T bar handle needing to be twisted and held horizontal to maintain the deadman control.
But, this became a drama with the Waterfall prang in 2003.
The motorman suffered a heart attack and collapsed over the control desk.
He had been holding the T bar throttle in fourth notch full power to get up speed departing the station.
Collapsing over it forcing it to remain in power and the T bar horizontal.
The train continued to accelerate until it hit a 50 kph curve and went bush.
Back during the good ole days a motorman was caught wrapping a thick rubber band around the T bar.
Connected to the reverser lever to maintain the T bar horizontal allowing him to let it go.
He didn't like the foot pedal.
He was most peeved when given the DCM.
I just glared at him gobsmacked.
The deadman control is there not only to save the cattle, but ALSO the motorman from destruction.
Modern emu and dmu have both the deadman and vigilance systems.
The vigilance system permitting release of the deadman during the vigo cycling period if coasting.
As far as I am aware, the only weasels here in NSW that featured a deadman was the Silverton mob.
That comprised a foot pedal necessitating depression while ever in gear and motion.
Reminds me of that Hollywood flick Silver Streak.
The hogger attempts to jump out of the cab and is shot by the badie.
He then puts the hoggers work bag on the deadman foot pedal to keep it depressed the the F units powering.
The train ending up slamming into the terminal station and the F units jumping up onto the concourse.
WHACKO, now that is the kinda excitement that the newbie SBS docco Sydney Central Station needs.
HMMMM.
Steve.
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