Rail Network Goings On....

[dpalenski]

I have 4am starts all week, as does AKL_Train_Driver by the sounds. Therefore I get up at 0230. I think we win Daniel...

Have your victory early mornings are not great friends with me since I'm back Uni these are just Morning peak and afternoon peak shifts so yes I spend the spit shift at Uni so carry a uniform and books around for the whole day until 7pm but it should feel less working for 12 hours and getting paid for 6.

Should I tell you about my 6am-8pm shifts out on Park Rd for 4 days straight in a period of working 10 days without a single day off all added up to about 60 hours Manukau Open day was the only time I got a sleep in. It was actually the ultimate form of procrastination since it was the mid-semester break and still had stuff to do doing get up work go to bed type shifts may not of made sense but they made a hell of lot dollars.

[kaiwhara]

For obvious reasons, we cannot work for so long, nor for so many days in a row.

I have 4am starts all week, as does AKL_Train_Driver by the sounds. Therefore I get up at 0230. I think we win Daniel...

Have your victory early mornings are not great friends with me since I'm back Uni these are just Morning peak and afternoon peak shifts so yes I spend the spit shift at Uni so carry a uniform and books around for the whole day until 7pm but it should feel less working for 12 hours and getting paid for 6.

Should I tell you about my 6am-8pm shifts out on Park Rd for 4 days straight in a period of working 10 days without a single day off all added up to about 60 hours Manukau Open day was the only time I got a sleep in. It was actually the ultimate form of procrastination since it was the mid-semester break and still had stuff to do doing get up work go to bed type shifts may not of made sense but they made a hell of lot dollars.

[dpalenski]

For obvious reasons, we cannot work for so long, nor for so many days in a row.

Yeah I was surprised they let me work like that by the fourth day I was running on sugar and energy drinks just to stop drifting off to sleep while standing up if wasn't for the Manukau open day shift I would had a 7am start on a Saturday doing 14 hrs rather than 11am 4 hrs paid railfan and a happy wide awake Daniel on Sunday 7:30 am start at Puhnui despite that I was dead for about 2 or 3 days I was like only construction workers work like this.

I'm hoping we get lots of shifts for the big 30th of November Uni is done so no problems arsing from burn out there yes I'm young and stupid but when your used to so little money when chance to have lots of it arises you take it properly why the majority of us are students we're impulsive and will work like crazy again and again because of the former if it doesn't crash cars it's used by Auckland Transport for large projects.

[minime]

I believe TC are still waiting for a component or two for the route/service number based signalling for the Wiri to Papakura section of the ETCS. The controller can "express" signals such as Takanini and Te Mahia, but at present it relies on the controller to manually "set-up" the signal, which they often forget to do. I have heard several drivers on the 07:23 ex Papakura LS calling up for the signal at Takanini. Kaiwhara may have more info on this, being an ex-signaller.

Pretty much right there, Train Control can "Express" a signal normally held at red in association with a Level or Pedestrian Crossing. However it is a one train only function which applies only to the next train - ie it cannot be set in advance.

Something some LE's havn't worked out that where a signal at the end of a platform is normally at red because of the crossing, the axle counter that starts the timer is an the near end of the platform, so crawling up to the platform or stopping short will not start it, unless you have put your nose over it. Only then will the timer start and the signal clear if appropriate to do so. By the sounds of things one reason the Express is getting held up is that the drivers havn't been getting close enough to the signal if TC havn't set it up (TC quite frankly have much bigger fish to fry at that time of the morning).

ARS (Automatic Route Setting) is currently awaiting Data Entry and testing before being made "Live". This is distinct from ETCS which operates on train equipment that performs a whole host of safety functions which I will explain in greater detail another time when I have a bit more time to explain it. Currently only 1 SD is fitted with the on train equipment however, and as far as I know, has not performed any "live" tests, only static ones thus far...

As for crawling up to a red defensive driving states 200m from a red you should be doing 20 kph. Ask your minder he should be teliing you that

[kaiwhara]

Well aware of that, and how far out is said axle counter??

As for crawling up to a red defensive driving states 200m from a red you should be doing 20 kph. Ask your minder he should be teliing you that

[minime]

Well aware of that, and how far out is said axle counter??

As for crawling up to a red defensive driving states 200m from a red you should be doing 20 kph. Ask your minder he should be teliing you that

Does not matter 10m or 190m rule states 200m 20KPH

[kaiwhara]

I know that, and you know damn well I know that. I won't mention then that the counter I am talking about is 200+ meters out, and further, I actually regularly drive less than that 200m out. Ask my minder.

I take it you are one of these people who drive at 20kmph 200m out even if a platform intervenes, ie 20kmph the whole length of Henderson on the Up, New Lynn on the down, Sturges Takanini and Te Mahia on the up?

Also, if you are happy to throw the Rule Book around, quote the rule number please.

Does not matter 10m or 190m rule states 200m 20KPH

[duddley]

Do the Signals around Sturges rd have a back up power supply or do they not run off the surrounding power network? As we had a powercut around Sturges rd and i'm assuming the network didn't grind to a halt out west.

[kaiwhara]

Fed from a seperate power supply in Penrose. Additionally each Location Box has its own UPS.

Do the Signals around Sturges rd have a back up power supply or do they not run off the surrounding power network? As we had a powercut around Sturges rd and i'm assuming the network didn't grind to a halt out west.

[eurokiwi78]

Also, if you are happy to throw the Rule Book around, quote the runumber please.

Does not matter 10m or 190m rule states 200m 20KPH

Is it actually in the book yet, was still a bulletin last time I saw it.

[kaiwhara]

Therein lies my point...

[Rail-it]

You dudes better revise the platform stopping technique for SA trains. lol.

And to top off days working in a row - you ain't done nothing special until you've tryed shearing merino sheep for 100 days straight without a day off in central Otago during the winter, leaving in the dark and arriving back in the dark nearly each day.

[Chris Randal.]

Does not matter 10m or 190m rule states 200m 20KPH

Kaiwhara can you please rephrase this for me - it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[dpalenski]

A brief of what I'm doing over the next weekhttps://docs.google.com/file/d/1-FKP0yMlcviD9fWMaa9OVd3--kmEQDoa2j0XxnjIqBKhoBT5wvYmgFVEdqGs/edit

What I need to fill out while I'm there https://docs.google.com/file/d/1b_JiWVglcNFvosSd6jqgP657pZ_HFmG-_xUYoeLW1oRH4qs1THum-69vtxEt/edit

[kaiwhara]

What it means is, Defensive Driving practices require a train to be travelling no faster than 20kmph 200m out from a Red Signal.

Kaiwhara can you please rephrase this for me - it doesn't make a lot of sense.

[Andrew]

What it means is, Defensive Driving practices require a train to be travelling no faster than 20kmph 200m out from a Red Signal.

Kaiwhara can you please rephrase this for me - it doesn't make a lot of sense.

From an outsider's perspective, that seems a good idea for heavy and difficult-to-stop freight train. Do they do this in Wellington with the EMUs?

[vworp]

What it means is, Defensive Driving practices require a train to be travelling no faster than 20kmph 200m out from a Red Signal.

Kaiwhara can you please rephrase this for me - it doesn't make a lot of sense.

I gather this is suburban or freight, and regardless of the type of signal being approached (permissive or absolute)? If it were a permissive (stop+proceed) you're technically required to come to a 'stop' for 10 seconds before moving into the next block?

[c46andc47]

What it means is, Defensive Driving practices require a train to be travelling no faster than 20kmph 200m out from a Red Signal.

From an outsider's perspective, that seems a good idea for heavy and difficult-to-stop freight train. Do they do this in Wellington with the EMUs?

While I have no problem with defensive driving [1] the rule you quote seems contrary to operating an intensive metro service. I suppose that my problem is that I am used to Wellington's EMus and forget that in Auckland you have SA sets with ropy brakes that do not always stop the train before the end of the platform

If you are in Wellington visit Petone and watch up EMUs. I am sure that many stopping trains are doing more than 20kph at the start of the platform. And that is in spite of the fact that there is a platform starter at the end of the platform that may be at stop.

Maybe once the new EMUs are in operation Auckland's trains will operate in high acceleration/high decelaration mode.

[1] I drive defensively when approaching a green traffic light. I anticipate the light changing to amber. This sometimes annoys the car behind me but I do not want to have to jam my brakes on suddenly and risk having the vehicle behind ramming me. It has happened, at a pedestrian crossing.

[Rail-it]

What it means is, Defensive Driving practices require a train to be travelling no faster than 20kmph 200m out from a Red Signal.

From an outsider's perspective, that seems a good idea for heavy and difficult-to-stop freight train. Do they do this in Wellington with the EMUs?

While I have no problem with defensive driving [1] the rule you quote seems contrary to operating an intensive metro service. I suppose that my problem is that I am used to Wellington's EMus and forget that in Auckland you have SA sets with ropy brakes that do not always stop the train before the end of the platform

If you are in Wellington visit Petone and watch up EMUs. I am sure that many stopping trains are doing more than 20kph at the start of the platform. And that is in spite of the fact that there is a platform starter at the end of the platform that may be at stop.

Maybe once the new EMUs are in operation Auckland's trains will operate in high acceleration/high decelaration mode.

[1] I drive defensively when approaching a green traffic light. I anticipate the light changing to amber. This sometimes annoys the car behind me but I do not want to have to jam my brakes on suddenly and risk having the vehicle behind ramming me. It has happened, at a pedestrian crossing.

I can assure you there are seperate operating instructions for stopping SA trains on platforms in the Auckland metro area.

[Kalelovil]

[1] I drive defensively when approaching a green traffic light. I anticipate the light changing to amber. This sometimes annoys the car behind me but I do not want to have to jam my brakes on suddenly and risk having the vehicle behind ramming me. It has happened, at a pedestrian crossing.

Isn't the point of yellow lights that one doesn't have to do so? If you can not stop safely when the light changes to yellow you are allowed to proceed through the intersection. There should be no conflicting movements when the light is yellow.