Train photos

[AKL_Train_Driver]

Not strictly a train photo, but more a drivers' eye view arriving at Otahuhu...


More to follow soon!

What does it mean when there are two sets of lights on a signal pole.

Cheers, nice photos

Ok, I hope this makes sense! Kind of a crash course in signals! The signal in the above picture (up home for Otahuhu) has 3 light units. "A" unit (3 aspect on the top) "B" unit (3 aspect below), and "C" unit (low speed light backed with a white triangle (with a yellow border, for the picky drivers on here!!!)). In NZ we operate a speed signalling system as opposed to a route signalling system, but depending on the signal displayed, it is possible to work out what route is set.

Each of the three units have a speed assigned to them depending on what is being displayed. The "A" unit is used for "Normal Speed" indications, the "B" unit is used for "Medium Speed" indications, and "C" for low speed. For example, the above signal is displaying "Caution, Normal Speed", the next signal in advance will be at stop. If the top signal was green, it would be "Clear, Normal Speed", the next signal in advance will be at proceed.

At different locations, such as Westfield junction, the "B" unit can also display an "intermediate Speed" signal, as a flashing yellow or green indication. Medium, Intermediate and low speeds are displayed when diverging onto another line. If the above signal was displaying red top, yellow bottom, "Caution, Medium Speed" the train would be going onto the "Down" line at Otahuhu platform.

I hope that kind of makes sense. I must say that it's a very stripped down explanation as the signals section of the rule book is quite a few pages long!

[TechnicianX]

Nice photos AKL, especially the one with a strangely clean ADL. The view into Otahuhu is rather disappointing, not sure if anything will ever be done to clean up Auckland City's corridor.

Thanks for the signal explanation too, I think I get about half the concept now

[nzqf182]

Thanks "AKL_Train_Driver" for explaining the signaling, sure sounds complicated to learn

[john-ston]

Hard to believe, but that exact same locomotive looked something like this not too long ago



I uploaded the shots I took from the Overlander in November last year, and here are some rail related shots (these are not strictly Auckland shots, but oh well)



DC4594 at Britomart Platform 5 waiting for her next suburban service



EF30157 at Hamilton Station



DC4110 at Palmerston North



The Twins (DBRs 1200 & 1267) in Wellington Yards. These two locomotives do a variety of jobs, including helping bank some trains, and even doing a Wairarapa run or two



One of my favourites; where are the wires? (In fact, there are a couple of MAXX livery locomotives that carry these signs as well, even though the nearest electrification is over a hundred kilometres south of here).

[millsy]

God our locos look grotty...

Great pics though people....I have a few of my own, but they are more like railway pics:



The start of the Castlecliff industrial line



The end of the aforementioned line.



The old yard at sentry hill, about 14km from New Plymouth - apparently back in the day there used to be railway workshops and everything here..



A nice view here looking at Sentry Hill. The Marton - NP line is on the left, and the Waitara Branch curves off to the right. A local heritage socitey bought the line off Tranzrail in about 2000-01 when they threatened to close it. Something that rail fans all over owe them big time for.



One for you Johnston - this is the remains of the old Opunake Branch Line, just before the terminus at Opunake. You drive round the corner of one of the local streets here, and this hits you right in the face.



The same bridge and formation, from another angle.



This is the Kapuni Branch, what used to be the Opunake Branch before it closed. The line on the right, is the line itself, it ends just before the road, and on the left, is a siding into the lactose factory.

[KiwiRail-Trainee-08]

Not strictly a train photo, but more a drivers' eye view arriving at Otahuhu...


More to follow soon!

What does it mean when there are two sets of lights on a signal pole.

Cheers, nice photos

Ok, I hope this makes sense! Kind of a crash course in signals! The signal in the above picture (up home for Otahuhu) has 3 light units. "A" unit (3 aspect on the top) "B" unit (3 aspect below), and "C" unit (low speed light backed with a white triangle (with a yellow border, for the picky drivers on here!!!)). In NZ we operate a speed signalling system as opposed to a route signalling system, but depending on the signal displayed, it is possible to work out what route is set.

Each of the three units have a speed assigned to them depending on what is being displayed. The "A" unit is used for "Normal Speed" indications, the "B" unit is used for "Medium Speed" indications, and "C" for low speed. For example, the above signal is displaying "Caution, Normal Speed", the next signal in advance will be at stop. If the top signal was green, it would be "Clear, Normal Speed", the next signal in advance will be at proceed.

At different locations, such as Westfield junction, the "B" unit can also display an "intermediate Speed" signal, as a flashing yellow or green indication. Medium, Intermediate and low speeds are displayed when diverging onto another line. If the above signal was displaying red top, yellow bottom, "Caution, Medium Speed" the train would be going onto the "Down" line at Otahuhu platform.

I hope that kind of makes sense. I must say that it's a very stripped down explanation as the signals section of the rule book is quite a few pages long!

Nicely said "AKL_Train_Driver". When are you moving to SA train's (or should I say, are you going to move to a SA set)?

[Cogload]

Speed signalling....just far too complicated.....

[kaiwhara]

Not much more different to route signalling (which wer have some unofficially here). Nothing is hard when you know what you are looking at

Speed signalling....just far too complicated.....

[KiwiRail-Trainee-08]

IMO they make it sound complicated in the Rules & Reg book - fairly simple once you understand the concept. Although, why hasn't the signalling system been standardlised? Why over-complicate things?

[kaiwhara]

Most likely because the system was devised some years ago, and has been continually adapted to suit requirements as they require. From that we get the system we have now...

IMO they make it sound complicated in the Rules & Reg book - fairly simple once you understand the concept. Although, why hasn't the signalling system been standardlised? Why over-complicate things?

[millsy]

Perhaps one of you train men could put up a beginners guide to railway signalling. A step by step ABC guide aimed at laymen. I have always been fascinated about railway signals and the like, and I found a place on the internet where I could get a basic intro, but it wasant long before rocket science seemed easier...

[keg]

^^
I've found Valley Signals a useful site in helping me understand NZ signalling. The examples used are mostly from the Hutt Valley but the principles should be applicable to Auckland too. The NZ Signal Aspects page is probably a good place to start.

[millsy]

ValleySignals is what I was talking about, good for an intro, but as you go along it gets very complex. I mean, If I saw a rail way signal, I would be able to tell you what it means, but thats about it.

[kaiwhara]

So what are you looking for, as the Signals Rules don't actually go into much more detail...

ValleySignals is what I was talking about, good for an intro, but as you go along it gets very complex. I mean, If I saw a rail way signal, I would be able to tell you what it means, but thats about it.

[millsy]

Im not looking for anything in particular. Its just that people are curious about how railway signalling works, and they might want some sort of intro.

[Jeremy Harris]

Hard to believe, but that exact same locomotive looked something like this not too long ago

Yeah, privatisation was great for rail (dripping with sarcasism)... Just need to put these photo's on some billboards when National start talking about re-privatisation...

[TechnicianX]

Yeah, privatisation was great for rail (dripping with sarcasism)... Just need to put these photo's on some billboards when National start talking about re-privatisation...

Darn I didn't notice how bad it was earlier, thank god it got the new paint job. MAXX Blue would've most certainly been welcome, but I think it's not being applied due to electrification taking the diesels off the SAs whenever the government changes...

[john-ston]

Yeah, privatisation was great for rail (dripping with sarcasism)... Just need to put these photo's on some billboards when National start talking about re-privatisation...

Actually, privatisation is what saved rail in New Zealand. Until the early 1990s, Treasury fully expected that the New Zealand rail system would disappear, except for the Wellington commuter network.

There were a number of issues with the way that New Zealand Rail operated.

[Jeremy Harris]

Respectfully disagree, the right-wingers in charge of the books didn't deem investment in the rail to garner good enough returns...

[john-ston]

Respectfully disagree, the right-wingers in charge of the books didn't deem investment in the rail to garner good enough returns...

Um, you will find that rail had been neglected by both sides of the political spectrum in the post-war era, baring a couple of oddball scenarios. However, it was more poor operating practices that had caused problems for New Zealand Rail, and I have quoted them many times that they don't need quoting again.