Description
Railway Digest August 2017 ‘Blurb’
P Class withdrawal
The Victorian Railways’ ‘New Deal for Country Passengers’, beginning in October 1981, revolutionised the provision of country passenger services in Victoria. Thirty-five little-used stations were closed, rolling stock utilisation was improved, and new rolling stock introduced. One component of the project involved the rebuilding of thirteen early-model ‘flat-top’ T Class locomotives into the ‘new’ P Class, incorporating head end power for the rebuilt former EMU Harris Cars that they would haul in push-pull mode – giving rise to the nickname ‘Poor Man’s XPT’! Now, these veterans are facing retirement, and in his own inimitable style, RD Signalling Editor (and V/Line driver) David Campbell pays special tribute to these interesting and engaging machines.
SCT’s Bromelton and Barnawartha terminals bring growth for rail
The opening in the last 12 months of new SCT Logistics intermodal terminals at Bromelton (49 kilometres south of Brisbane’s Acacia Ridge rail terminal) and Barnawartha (near Wodonga in north east Victoria) has brought new business to rail on Australia’s interstate network and demonstrated that rail can compete with road if the mix of reliability, distance and appropriate terminal facilities is right, as John Hoyle reports.
Saving people from themselves
The safety of pedestrians crossing railways at level crossings seems to be a surprisingly difficult issue. Although presenting a low physical risk to trains, the occurrences of pedestrians being involved in accidents through unwittingly placing themselves into the pathway of trains is not uncommon, and usually results in severe injury or fatality to the pedestrian. David Campbell looks at some recent developments in Victoria, involving the use of Electro-Magnetic Latched Emergency Exit Gates, to help ‘save people from themselves’.
A day out at the Dorrigo Steam Railway and Museum
Housing the largest collection of historic railway equipment in the Southern Hemisphere on its 53 acre Dorrigo site, the DSR&M is not yet open to the public. However, in April this year, Ewan McLean managed to secure a ticket to one of the museum’s infrequent open days. “A truly great day” as he describes it.
