Australia - various railway issues, merged topics and posts

[whole diary]

[SandTEngineer]

I'm guessing that as Byron Bay is a similar latitude to the Canaries that both the strength of the sun and amount of it is slightly more than we might get in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom).  I certainly wouldn't suggest to TfW^▸ (Transport for Wales) that they rely on it for the Valley Lines electrification.

Maybe solar wouldn't work in the Valleys, but I'm told it can be quite windy atop the surrounding hills...

So, sail powered trains then?

You should copyright that idea BNM.  I'm sure our current climate change protesters would love that......

[grahame]

So, sail powered trains then?

http://douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/sail/sail.htm

I recall doing one as an "O" gauge project about 40 years ago - problem was it was too light and blew over ... looked rather like the Spooner example on that page linked above.

[JayMac]

So, sail powered trains then?

http://douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/sail/sail.htm

I recall doing one as an "O" gauge project about 40 years ago - problem was it was too light and blew over ... looked rather like the Spooner example on that page linked above.

Well... who knew? I thought I'd had an original idea. Turns out the idea's been around for nearly 200 years.

[stuving]

Well, there is one at the Royal Deeside Railway...

Oh yes... handsome brute it is too!

For anyone who likes pictures of that BEMU, I have just found a small heap of them showing it in service in the 1960s. The GNSRA covers (obviously) the whole GNSR in its picture gallery.

[SandTEngineer]

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/sydney-to-melbourne-train-derails-north-of-melbourne-20200220-p542vz.html

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-20/two-dead-in-train-derailment-melbourne-wallan/11986230

[SandTEngineer]

Early reports:

Several passengers said the train was gaining speed at the time of the accident after being stopped due to a signalling issue.

Lets hope its not a repeat of the recent Italian High Speed derailment.

Here is a signalling map of the area: http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR208.pdf

[SandTEngineer]

Speculation Alert: Looking more like an overspeed or something similar at the loop turnout:

Leon, who did not want his surname used, also said the the train was stopped minutes before the crash, with staff saying a signalling issue was causing delays.

After the accident Leon, who has experience in rail transport, said he walked back to where he thought the train had derailed.

He said the tracks, which police said were badly damaged following the crash, were set to divert the train onto an adjacent parallel side track. Leon said signals should have alerted the driver to slow down to be able to move into the side track, but he did not notice the train slowing prior to the derailment.

"If the driver knew that, and the signalling told him that, there's no way he would have been travelling at the speed he was travelling at," Leon said.

"You have to slow down at that point ... And this train didn't."

Passengers said they felt a sharp bump before the train derailed.

....and.....

The Border Mail reported on Thursday that north-east train travellers were being asked to allow an extra 60 minutes for trips after a signal hut at Wallan was destroyed by fire earlier this month.

[SandTEngineer]

Looks more certain that the derailment was caused by the train being overspeed passing through a turnout from the main running line to a loop line.

Health Warning. Video contains some scenes that some viewers might find harrowing: Appologies about the advert at the begining. https://youtu.be/4eiq86F8Cm4

[grahame]

Looks more certain that the derailment was caused by the train being overspeed passing through a turnout from the main running line to a loop line.

Indeed.   Though whether it was driver, pilotman, signalman error, a fault with the signalling system or permanent way, something else, or a combination or misunderstanding, we have yet to learn. Lots on the video, including concerns about the state the railway is in near where that accident happened.

Remarkable strength of an XPT (Australian HST^▸ (High Speed Train (Inter City class 43 125 units)) derivative) that it came off at around 80kph on a 15kph turnout, the whole train jackknifed behind the leading power car and only the two in the front cab died. 157 passengers on board, just 11 injured only one seriously (but not life threatening).

[SandTEngineer]

The prelininary report has now been published: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5777548/ro-2020-002_prelim.pdf

Preliminary report from the ATSB

At about 1943, XPT ST23 was approaching the northern end of Wallan Loop at about the track’s line speed. Recordings from the train indicate an Emergency brake application a short distance before the points. This slowed the train a small amount before it entered the turnout travelling at a speed in excess of 100 km/h. The train was not able to negotiate the turnout to the loop track at this speed and derailed. All vehicles derailed excepting the rear power car.

[Oxonhutch]

I see that the route had been changed the day of the derailment from the straight - line speed - route through Road 1 to the 15 kph restricted divergence into Road 2. The straight route had been used for the previous 13 days.

[grahame]

From the Daily Mail

The luxury Ghan train has been turned around after crossing into the Northern Territory from new coronavirus hot spot South Australia.

A total of 221 passengers have had their travel plans thrust into chaos following the new border closures sparked by the COVID-19 cluster in Parafield in Adelaide's north.

The Ghan, an iconic train for adventurers, was already in the Northern Territory when the state's borders were closed to South Australia.

Still on my "bucket list", but I won't be taking any substantial risk of kicking the bucket by going any time soon. 2022 or 2023 perhaps?

[broadgage]

Bnm try container ships.

One way would be.

Ship  UK^▸ (United Kingdom) to USA East Coast:  train to West Coast: ship Japan/China: ship Australia Darwin the start of the Ghan.

You may even get one direct to Australia from UK.

Agree, a friend of mine has made numerous voyages by cargo ship and highly recommends this mode of transport.
Cabin-----excellent, would be called "super double emperor class" or some such nonsense on a cruise ship.
Food------Limited choice but of excellent quality, included in fare.
Drink-----Again limited in choice but very cheap, had to be paid for at "duty free" prices, not pub or bar prices. Soft drinks FOC^▸ (Freight Operating Company, or possibly 'free of charge', depending on context).
Entertainments and communications limited to satellite TV^▸ (Thames Valley, or TeleVision, depending on context), radio, library, DVDs, and very expensive sat phone.

Reasonably green. Ships use a lot of low grade and polluting heavy oil, but the EXTRA fuel used by adding a passenger is negligible.

Most voyages were between the UK and the USA, but included one direct voyage to Australia.
One voyage was in truly extreme weather, with the shipping weather forecast describing the sea state as "phenomenal" The very experienced Captain looked worried, and the officers kept checking the lifeboats.
The crew were observed to be praying for deliverance.

Other voyages have been less exciting.

[JontyMort]

Most voyages were between the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) and the USA, but included one direct voyage to Australia.

The crew were observed to be praying for deliverance.

For one awful moment I read that as ?Voyagers? to Australia. It would explain the prayers for deliverance.

[infoman]

The cricket ashe's will be taking place in Australia this coming winter 2021/22.
If you are a solo traveller,like me,or know any one who is,or unless you know some one to take you to or from the Sydney airport
Can I offer a bit of advice if you are flying into or out of Sydney.
The international and the Domestic terminals are connected to the Sydney central railway station area as well as the rest of Australia.

The is an extra charge if you use the train from Sydney Domestic or International airport
What I did last time I arrived at domestic is walked to Mascot which is a 20 minute walk away OR
If you arrive at Sydney international walk to wooli creek which is a twenty minute walk away
Wooli creek will take you into the central area or south bound and
Mascott will take you into the central area.