THE passenger carriages of the 6:54am V/Line train departing from Swan Hill Railway Station detached from the controller car and came to a stop just south of Pental Island Road yesterday morning.
This is yet another failure of V/Line with many of these incidents happening across the network with alarming regularity. V/Line appear to be avoiding much needed maintenance on the network and the rolling stock opting for a stupid and nonsensical policy from Ben Phyland of Public Transport Victoria.
The Plan from Ben and V/Line appears to be move the entire rolling stock on the V/Line network to effectively a bus on steel wheels with little comfort, space, a noisy environment and one which is not conducive to comfortable travel. Ben is also a former long term employee of Bombardier a company who builds the outdated and ageing Vlocity train.
All I can say is,”WHAT A DOG’S BREAKFAST!!!
1. Derailment on a freight line impacting the Beyond Rail Journey Overland service.
2.VLocity to Warrnambool breaks down at Winchelsea.
Now this on the Swan Hill Line!
How can people in roles of responsibility within top level of management who are seemly highly educated allow this to happen?
As I understand for example any Tourist Rail operator that disrupts a revenue service is not allowed.
Does same instructions that are issued on a running time table for Vic Rail Tourist Railways heritage tours apply to other big mainline operators disrupting other train operators services via the Rail Safety Regulators?
As I understand if a Heritage tourist railway breaks down on route and delays a revenue service aka V/line etc.
As heavy financial penalties may apply ie: from the time the delay occurs the meter starts ticking approx. 500K per hour…
If the other rail operator[s] are forced to cancel a revenue service the cost incurred goes up per service impacted….
That the gist of I what I understand….
Happy for some people to fill me in on this area….
Brad I don’t think the reporter is correct calling ACN the controller car…..
The ACN is equipped with controls for the back power generator in the BRN…..but the loco need to attached to provide the air pressure for the braking system and HEP [head in power] in the train.
The train need two source of electrical power to operate the carriages, doors and other electrical components ie: air conditioning, lights etc. in the train!
When separated the train lose it “brake pipe pressure” and the brake will apply….
Same thing with Loco the driver at the event of emergency he can release the air in the train’s brake pipe or dump the air….it will cause the train brakes to apply to come to a halt.
typo* Head End Power*
What’s a ‘controller car’?
Mike I presume the reporter meant locomotive….