So again watching Smithsonian Channels Mighty Trains on Kiwi Rails passenger trains. They made the comment during the documentary and even while on board one of the passenger trains. Lightning storms sometimes take out the power grid and when that happens the rail system signal system goes down as well. Apparently they do not have an alternate power source for signalling so all the trains initially stop where they are until they can get a verbal over the radio train order system in place and up and running. Of course once the signals come backup with the power, everything runs normally again.
Rather interesting way of doing things and seems different from U.S. Railroad practice.
My observation of KIWI rail was that they used the same system that SOU RR used for most of its core system. That is the regular three aspect heads. It is an AC based signaling including AC code lines. That system does require separation of the three phase AC power lines and code lines across the track from any telegraph and telephone lines. So on SOU always saw signaling on one side of track and communication lines on other side. SOU used an approximate 12 ft x 12 foot power station converting local power to 4400V (?) 3 phase AC. Power stations about 30 miles apart. That way supplied power about 15 miles each way. Power staation could feed each way to previous power station. All signal locations used a transformer between any 2 of the phases.
Signal lights were powered by a 110v transformer in each signal light head. bulb number unknown. Most relays were AC type except for track circuits..
Remember, current state of the art signal systems operate on millivolts - lightning bolts have the energy of hundeds of thousands of volts. With that being said - even the best lightning protection for field signal facilities will fail occasionally. Such failures can totally fry the signal equipment as well as any battery backup the site may have. Even older relay based signal facilities can be fried by a lightning strike overpowering the lightning protection.
Rules in the US are that dark signals will be observed as the MOST RESTRICTIVE indication that the signal is able to display. Signals without number plates display STOP as their most restrictive indication - trains need permission of the Train Dispatcher to have authority to pass the signal. Signals with number plates most restrictive indication is RESTRICTED PROCEED - trains can pass the signals at RESTRICTED SPEED.
In most instances of lightning disruption only one or two linked control points are affected.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACDIn most instances of lightning disruption only one or two linked control points are affected. Add Quote to your Post
In the case of KIWI RAIL it seemed to be a whole division taken out, like a 100+ miles. The other item that was kind of strange is they have pier bridges that span rivers that are known to become Volcanic LAHARs and threaten the bridge piers. Their solution was to place sensors upstream that notify if a sudden rise in river level. I am scratching my head and thinking......why don't they replace the pier bridge with a suspension span bridge over the LAHAR.....seems more logical, although possibly a bit more expensive. They had a lot of fixes like that for their rail system that had me wondering if they lacked money or just did not like the longer term solution. Loose rock and avalances, no real avalance fence or sensors I could see.....instead during high risk times each train is proceeded by a hi-rail truck? Every fix they picked involved more people and more equipment as if they were trying to employ more people or again lacked the funds.
CMStPnP BaltACD In most instances of lightning disruption only one or two linked control points are affected. Add Quote to your Post In the case of KIWI RAIL it seemed to be a whole division taken out, like a 100+ miles. The other item that was kind of strange is they have pier bridges that span rivers that are known to become Volcanic LAHARs and threaten the bridge piers. Their solution was to place sensors upstream that notify if a sudden rise in river level. I am scratching my head and thinking......why don't they replace the pier bridge with a suspension span bridge over the LAHAR.....seems more logical, although possibly a bit more expensive. They had a lot of fixes like that for their rail system that had me wondering if they lacked money or just did not like the longer term solution. Loose rock and avalances, no real avalance fence or sensors I could see.....instead during high risk times each train is proceeded by a hi-rail truck? Every fix they picked involved more people and more equipment as if they were trying to employ more people or again lacked the funds.
BaltACD In most instances of lightning disruption only one or two linked control points are affected. Add Quote to your Post
When I was 'placed' in Chessie Computer Services Ind. (CCSI) they had a contract with the New Zealand railroads to install a specific software package - CCSI employees were going to New Zeakand on 6 month tours of duty for the installation and implementation of the software - I wanted to go but never got selected. Shortly thereafter I exercised my Dispatcher's seniority in Jacksonville.
New Zealander's are a unique population - for the size of their country they tend to excel in all the forms of competition they participate in.
Let's hear it for the All Blacks, the world's greatest rugby side.
On Kiwi Rails North Island mainline in a power outage, loss of signals requiring trains to stop would be a mute issue, since the line is electrified.
But there could be a signal power problem that does not affect propulsion power.
If it really is a "mute" issue, does that mean that no one can speak?
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