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Old 23rd February 2018, 08:33
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aussiesteve aussiesteve is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Bathurst
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G'day B.W.,
While not a buffer stop snot, the july 1993 prang at Lithgow was of a similar situation.
Back then, the electric locos working eastbound Silver Streak W2 would be shoved into the Lithgow station east dock.
After the incoming diesels were detached and sent to Loco, the electrics shunted out of the dock and coupled up to W2.
Frame G was manually worked to gain access to and from the east dock, via electric release granted from Yard Box.
Two signal boxes exist at Lithgow, Coalstage at Top Yard, and Yard Box 1 km further west, the station 0.5 km west of Yard box.
Three Down main running signals existing between Coalstage and the station.
95.9 Yard Accept and Close-up co-acting Coalstage Down Starter; 96.3 Yard box Home and Close-up; 96.7 Yard second Home.
On 96.7 a staggered Calling On (small yellow) existed to grant access to the east dock when the points were set.
Signals then identified by mileage to the nearest decimal from Sydney, Down signals an odd decimal, UP signals an even decimal.
Train Stop apparatus was not fitted to signals west of Emu Plains until after the Glenbrook prang in december 1999.
Radio communication was via hand held two-way portables issued to train crew.
A falling grade of 1 in 150 faces westbound trains heading towards the station.
On the day of the incident, a Down interurban empty cars was working west to Lithgow.
This being an 8 car single decker U-boat (U set).
The U-boats were introduced from 1958, built by Comeng to a US Budd design with Metrovick traction gear.
Them U-boats were great beasties and could really motor, though were restricted to a max speed of 115 kph.
You knew that she was going when the front bogie inspection flap in the cab was lifted by the breeze.
The particular Eveleigh interurban driver was nicknamed Turbo, enough said.
As per usual, the 86 class electrics had whistled out of Loco and wandered down to the east dock.
The U-boat then arrived from Sydney.
Coalstage had requested the road from Yard box and was granted the Close-Up (little green) on signal 95.9.
It was assumed that the release from G frame would be restored shortly.
However, the shunter was busy and G frame still had the road set into the dock from the Down Main.
Turbo was in the process of packing his work bag getting ready to abandon ship at the station.
He was due to be relieved by a Lithgow driver.
The usual practice was to encounter Close-Ups on both signals 95.9 and 96.3, plus Main Yellow in 96.7.
This being on days when W2 was not working, or frame G had been restored to normal.
Having squizzed the little green in 95.9, he assumed the usual and began packing his bag.
He did not squiz signal 96.3, which was All On.
Approaching the station, signal 96.7 is partially occluded by the Bridge Street overpass.
Finally espying that 96.7 was All On, he slammed on the brakes, but it was too late.
The U-boat flew into the east dock colliding with the two 86 class.
The Lithgow crew aboard the 86'ers were up the west end cab and did not see what was approaching.
The collision shoved them 86'ers a good 10 feet.
But, fortunately not into the Eskbank Street overpass stone pier located at the end of the dock.
The Lithgow crew were shaken but not seriously injured.
Turbo had to be cut out of the crumpled cab of the U-boat, loosing a leg.
Such was the damage sustained to the U-boat underframes that services were suspended.
The Lithgow East Dock was quickly decommissioned.
The final U-boat service ran from Gosford on the Short North in 1996, all U sets then being withdrawn.
Motive power for W2 was exchanged at Top Yard until Aussie National commenced diesel through-running.
The next incident involving an interurban and the Silver Streak, Glenbrook in 1999, forced some major changes.
The old Automatic signal rule; attempt to make contact, if unable, wait one minute and proceed at caution speed, was kyboshed.
In lieu, we copped Absolute and Permissive signal rules, which really confused the situation for some time.
An Auto stick could become Absolute, and only the signalman could tell you such, meaning that without communication, you were STUCK.
Plus, Train Stop was fitted to all signals as far west as Lithgow (end of the Outer Metrop region).
The train radio system debacle had continued, and was a facet of Glenbrook.
I had written a scathing report about the woeful original Country-Net radio system, having been involved with testing.
But, both management and the union hierarchy didn't accept my report.
The Metro-Net system adopted by the suburban network was at least a tad more reliable, though totally incompatible with the Country-Net system.
Steve.
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