IRFCA Mailing List Archive
Messages 7241 - 7260
From: Jayant S <>
Subject: Re: Accident Management Ideas
Date: 25 Jul 1999 01:13:25 -0500
Marcelo Benoit wrote:
> I found all this proposals interesting. One of the first actions that
MUST
> be done NOW is start to use radio (yes, radios, these little boxes
that
> speak... perhaps the IR management don´t know it) for track-train
> communication and brake van-locomotive in case of freight trains.
IR is already using radios for passenger trains, but are
they standard on frieghts ? Also, do these operate on a
common band where all crew on trains in the area can listen
in ? It may yet be the surest method to avoid accidents of
the Mathura type: a verbal warning of train derailment
and line fouling, given with train position and description,
can come faster than setting up detonators or flares.
--
JS
--
From: Iain A Fraser <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge
Date: 25 Jul 1999 01:35:28 -0500
Hi
Paraguay is standard gauge and was converted to that gauge between 1910
and 1913 from the broad gauge 1676mm. This gauge had been chosen by the
first line in 1861 who were hopeful of connecting with the early
Argentine lines. However it changed as the potential connecting lines
were connected to the standard gauge systems then operating in Argentina
...hope that is clear. Things railway in South America rarely are!
Regards
Iain
AEROLITE BOOKTRADERS (UK)
Railway Book Specialists
Books bought,sold and found
<A HREF="http://www.aerolite.u-net.com">http://www.aerolite.u-net.com</A>
From: Marcelo Benoit <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge
Date: 25 Jul 1999 01:50:44 -0500
>Paraguay is standard gauge and was converted to that gauge between 1910
>and 1913 from the broad gauge 1676mm. This gauge had been chosen by the
>first line in 1861 who were hopeful of connecting with the early
>Argentine lines. However it changed as the potential connecting lines
>were connected to the standard gauge systems then operating in
Argentina
>...hope that is clear. Things railway in South America rarely are!
Iain,
I live in South America and could only said: TRUE!
In fact, the connecting lines with Paraguay at Mesopotamia provinces in
Argentina were isolated from the rest of the network and even Paraguay
until
the Zarate-Brazo Largo bridge was opened in 1983. They connected by
ferryboats with the Zarate-Buenos Aires line that was formerly a horse
tramway (it is said that was the longest in the world with more than 100
km). The bridge with Paraguay was opened in 1993.
Regards,
Marcelo
ESTACION CENTRAL TERMINAL DE TRENES
<A HREF="http://members.tripod.com/lfu1/index-7.html">http://members.tripod.com/lfu1/index-7.html</A>
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: MUMBAI CALCUTTA MAIL VIA ALLAHABAD
Date: 25 Jul 1999 01:56:03 -0500
> In the lunch time today I
> had nothing to eat, so I thought of going to the Vikhroli level
crossing
> gate and as soon as I reached I heard the cute horn of the WCM 2
pulling
> the CALCUTTA MAIL VIA ALLAHABAD. The horn went on till the loco
crossed
> the level crossing gate. The above train has a first class (2coaches)
one
> Ac first, ( mind you no composite ) and a couple of Ac 2 tiers. No
3ac
> coach ! Which is the faster mail and more popular one ? the one via
> Nagpur or the Allahabad ? Passengers on board from the eastern region
> your opinion please.
The AC 3 T is strictly an air braked coach while WCM 1 and 2 can haul
only vacuum
braked coaches. So it is clear that the 3003 Up is still a vacuum braked
rake. The
other trains to HWH like Geetanjali, 8001 and Super deluxe run air
braked rakes so
have AC 3 T. I am not even sure that the remaining train, the Kurla
Howrah 8029/ 30
has even an AC service.
3004 / 3003 have one of the longest runs out of Mumbai (Central
Railways) -
The longest would be easily Dadar - Guwahati, next CSTM - Kanyakumari
and then the the
Calcutta mail via ALD.
The WR of course has a train to Jammu, which would be the longest train
out of MU (WR)
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: [Fwd: Accident..
Date: 25 Jul 1999 02:02:25 -0500
Thanks to Tim for his inputs
From: Dr. K.J. Walker <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge and the Irish Gauge of 5'3"
Date: 25 Jul 1999 03:47:47 -0500
Dear David T,
No offence, I hope, but I'd like to see confirmation of your
story,
too, before acccepting it. Trouble is, a very similar story circulates
about
the choice of 5ft 6in gauge, as a compromise between 7ft (still very
much
alive in Britain in the 1840s-50s) and stangauge. Both could be true, of
course!
And on a minor point, the first Australian railway to adopt Irish
gauge was the first Australian railway -- the Melbourne to Sandridge
line in
VICTORIA, opened in 1853. It's true that South Australia had 5ft 3in
gauge
(on trunk lines -- there were many 3ft 6in gauge lines too), but that
was
adopted for compatibility with Victoria. The story goes that originally
Victoria and NSW agreed on 5ft 3ins, but replacement of the Irish
engineer
in NSW with a Scot meant that the lines out of Sydney were all built to
4ft
8-1/2ins gauge, the first opening in 1854.
That was quite a feat, too: the "ghat sections" west and north of
Sydney rival those near Bombay for difficulty.
Contrary to widespread supposition (and Durrant's book) the gauge
differences didn't matter much because all the rail systems were used to
get
primary produce down to the ports, which, except in Queensland, were
always
the capital cities. As all the capitals were on the coast, communication
by
ship was easier and actually faster until well into the 20th century.
(There
were still regular shipping services in the 1950s). In modern times,
with
more inland transport of manufactured goods, there has been a trend
toward
standardisation of gauge, preceded by a quite effective "bogie exchange"
programme for freight movements. (Railway Board ought to look at that:
it
might be cheaper than gauge conversion!)
Cheers
Ken Walker
-----Original Message-----
From: David Trotter <david@dtrotter.email
To: iti@vsnl.email <iti@vsnl.email kjw_meh@powerup.email
<kjw_meh@powerup.email FyffesFL@aol.email <FyffesFL@aol.email
Cc: Rodger Trotter <Rodger@TudorLodge.email Maureen Carswell
<mocarswell@hotmail.email Evan Pamely <et@pamely2.email
Ashley
Black <ajblack@compuserve.email irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
Date: 24 July 1999 1:29
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge and the Irish Gauge of 5'3"
>Hi Gang:
> While it is hard to believe it, the reason for the presence of the 5ft
3"
>gauge in the world of Brazil railways stems directly to events
occurring in
>Ireland in the early 1800's.
>. The story goes that as a result of a Commission decision chaired by
a
>Major General Pasley back in c.1837 the track gauge decreed for Ireland
main
>line railways was 5ft 3in. The narrow gauge world of 3ft gauge
continued
>unaffected as before. The commission had considered the existence of
two
>gauges:( the 4ft 8 1/2" ,the Dublin and Kingstown Railway and the 6ft
2",
>the Ulster Railway ) and the outcome was a compromise which pleased no
one.
>( other than the contractors of course).
>Arising out of the decision two Irish railway engineers went out to
both
>South Australia and Brazil and perpetuated the anomaly in the track
gauge
of
>the railways they worked on.
>The subject is still very relevant in 1999 as Irish railways continue
to
>suffer from the lack of flexibility and increased costs arising from
the
>specialist track gauge. It also rules out any benefits from through
running
>via boat trains and the Channel Tunnel providing access to the
Continent.
>On the preserved scene due to the now long past scrapping of steam
>locomotives we continue to wrestle with the lack of suitable steam
>locomotives. Consideration has been given to regauging from the
>Finnish/Russian gauge of 5ft but as yet a suitable method has not been
found
>which avoids exceeding the Irish loading gauge. Finnish steam locos
have
an
>additional cylinder on the outside of the external steam cylinders
which
>adds to the overall width measurement.
>
>To finish: Doesn't the subject of railways expand one's horizons?
>
>David T.
>
From: FyffesFL <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge
Date: 25 Jul 1999 06:27:00 -0500
Re BORHT archives on Argie/Crimea, am going to be travelling for two
weeks,
will start excavating on return.
From: FyffesFL <>
Subject: In memory of Hugh Hughes
Date: 25 Jul 1999 06:28:19 -0500
Our members will no doubt be saddened to hear that the author of many
books
on Indian locomotives has passed away.
Richard Yudin
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: Accident Management Ideas
Date: 25 Jul 1999 09:09:18 -0500
Dear Gang !
I always thought that the integral coach *had* crumple zones. The
toilets are supposed
to collapse on impact and protect the rest of the carriage.
Apurva
From: Tony Bailey <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge and the Irish Gauge of 5'3"
Date: 25 Jul 1999 15:01:02 -0500
-----Original Message-----
From: Dr. K.J. Walker <kjw_meh@powerup.email
>VICTORIA, opened in 1853. It's true that South Australia had 5ft 3in
gauge
>(on trunk lines -- there were many 3ft 6in gauge lines too), but that
was
>adopted for compatibility with Victoria. The story goes that originally
>Victoria and NSW agreed on 5ft 3ins, but replacement of the Irish
engineer
>in NSW with a Scot meant that the lines out of Sydney were all built to
4ft
Actually, the Australian story is a little more complicated than that-
Originally NSW was to be standard and persuaded SA and Vic to do the
same -
then the Irish Engineer Shields came on the scene and recommended Irish
gauge, and the others, in pursuit of eventual uniformity agreed.
Than Shields departed and the next engineer decided to go back to
Standard,
but SA and Vic had already ordered stock - thus the great Australian
gauge
confusion
Tony bailey
From: Jayant S <>
Subject: Re: Accident Management Ideas
Date: 25 Jul 1999 21:02:00 -0500
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
> I always thought that the integral coach *had* crumple zones.
> The toilets are supposed
> to collapse on impact and protect the rest of the carriage.
Erk ! I will remember not to ever use
train toilets again !!
Well, having crumple zones is a good thing,
but becomes ineffective if the couplers fail
under derailment, because then other parts
of the coach come under impact. This is what
happens when coaches jump on top of other
stock, or are flung sideways into other objects.
Also, any crumple zone would not offer too much
protection when a locomotive collides with
a coach, considering the inertia of the loco.
Is there any ongoing upgrading of couplers on
IR passenger stock ? Perhaps a change to the
tightlock type fitted on American stock ?
--
JS
--
From: Joydeep Dutta <>
Subject: Re: [Fwd: YDM4 vs. WDM 2]
Date: 25 Jul 1999 21:31:04 -0500
Hi Raymond
Let me intoduce my self to you. I am a WDM2 freak of the highest order.
I had been obessed with that wonderful machine from 1981. As a student
at
IIT Kharagpur I got myself technically trained on the WDM2 from the
system
technical school of SE RLY at Kharagpur and I had really been at the
throttle myself of the WDM2 on East Coast Route between Kharagpur and
Khurda
Road. So I will now give you some tips how one should drive.
Consider yourself in the cab and the loco working in the short face.
The short hood control stand has some extra gauges which is not there on
the
longhoodstand. When you take charge of the loco make some things very
sure
even if your assistant checks them. Check the fuel gauge stick attached
to
the main fuel tank. Check the generator room and the expressor
chamber(exhauster and compressor). Then walk down to the other side of
the
inspection walkway and check the lube oil gauge bayounet.
After that is over come and take your seat. Dont panic by seeing the
complex
track layout before you. See whether the brake pipe pressure is at
5kg/sqcm
and the auxillary air pressure is at 6kg/sqcm. I am assuming an airbrake
express pasenger train. Just lower your brake pipe pressure once using
the
A9 automatic train brake. See how fast the brake lapping takes place. If
thats ok then once you get the signal release the independent brake and
open
the throttle ie to the first notch. Let the train start rolling and then
open the second notch. Allow your loco to change over from the loop to
the
main with the second notch and then open the third notch and with in 2
0r 3
seconds the fourth one. The train will now gain motion and once you look
back and see the last end of your train is negotiating the cross over
then
open the fifth notch and gradually accelerate upto the seventh notch and
when you pass the advance starter open the eight notch and let it run.
Gaddi
apni chal pakad legi.... thats what my great driver friend M. S.
Narayana of
Kharagpur use to say. When you open the first notch you will hear a
sound
from the electrical control panel which is in the wall separating the
cab
and the generator room.
That is the sound of the series contactors picking up. The loco traction
motors are now in series- parallel connection and at 38km/h it will take
the
first transition from series-parallel to series - paralle shunted field.
At
around 52 km/h there will be another sound in the control panel and a
jerk
baclwards and a pull forwards. put your throttle back to the 6th notch
for 1
min and then put it back again to the 8th one. At this speed the second
transition takes place and the traction motors are now parallely
connected.
At 81km/h the third transition takes place and we have the parallel
shunted
field connection. As the train reaches the maximum speed gradually
decrease
the throttle notch and keep it a position where you can maintain the
speed.
In the next letter I will talk about how to brake a WDM2 working at
110km/h
since I myself have done it so many times.
Joydeep
wdm2lover@yahoo.email
>From: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
>To: IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
>CC: Raymond <raymond/Polaris@polaris.email
>Subject: [Fwd: YDM4 vs. WDM 2]
>Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 15:44:11 +0530
>
>You would be surprised at how many WDM 2 lovers we have
>aboard. Example - Joydeep Dutta has an email address
>"wdm2lover@hotmail.email or something similar. Please share
>such juicy trivia with all of us. I will send the WDM 3 pic by
>a separate email to you.
>
>Apurva
><< message3.txt >>
______________________________________________________
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From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: [Fwd: [Fwd: YDM4 vs. WDM 2]
Date: 26 Jul 1999 01:20:09 -0500
Some notes from Joydeep the Alco nut.
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: WDM 2 from the footplate
Date: 26 Jul 1999 01:29:24 -0500
Dear Joydeep - please do mark a copy to the IRFCA !
>
> The short hood control stand has some extra gauges which is not there
on the
> longhoodstand.
Which are these gauges ? If I remember correctly they are the Booster
air
pressure (BAP - Pressure at the outlet of the Booster - Railway pidgin
for Turbo
charger), Lube Oil pressure and Water temperature ?
> When you take charge of the loco make some things very sure
> even if your assistant checks them. Check the fuel gauge stick
attached to
> the main fuel tank. Check the generator room and the expressor
> chamber(exhauster and compressor). Then walk down to the other side of
the
> inspection walkway and check the lube oil gauge bayounet.
This should stick out under the oil pressure if working correctly ?
>
> Gaddi
> apni chal pakad legi.... thats what my great driver friend M. S.
Narayana of
> Kharagpur use to say.
You could list the entire set of dialogues that are exchanged on the
footplate -
Asst: Starter Right
Driver: Right !
etc.
> When you open the first notch you will hear a sound
> from the electrical control panel which is in the wall separating the
cab
> and the generator room.
Did you notice the rich humming sound as the loco begins to accelerate
at around
20 Kmph. I was in the Jehangir Hospital next to Pune station to stay
with a
patient through the night and I began to look forward to this lovely
sound that
(I think) the loaded traction motors make.
> That is the sound of the series contactors picking up. The loco
traction
> motors are now in series- parallel connection and at 38km/h it will
take the
> first transition from series-parallel to series - paralle shunted
field.
What Raymond was saying is that the throttle is actually eased during
these
transitions. But what I have observed that the lurch during acceleration
is
actually the throttle being eased momentarily. This is automatically
done. The
lurch can be felt in the train as well if you are attentive.
Apurva
From: Raymond Marsh <>
Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge and the Irish Gauge of 5'3"
Date: 26 Jul 1999 02:12:58 -0500
Just a point or two on Australias first STEAM railway. It opened in
1854 to 5'3" gauge and ran between Melbourne and Sandridge (which is
now known as Port Melbourne). It was converted to standard gauge
(1.435m) in 1988 when it became part of Melbournes extensive tramway
system.
All mainland capital cities in Australia are now connected by standard
gauge following extensive gauge conversion and duplication projects.
India is not the only place to suffer the inconvenience and expense of
break of gauge stations.
Regards from Ray.
Dr. K.J. Walker wrote:
> Dear David T,
> No offence, I hope, but I'd like to see confirmation of your
> story,
> too, before acccepting it. Trouble is, a very similar story circulates
> about
> the choice of 5ft 6in gauge, as a compromise between 7ft (still very
> much
> alive in Britain in the 1840s-50s) and stangauge. Both could be true,
> of
> course!
> And on a minor point, the first Australian railway to adopt
> Irish
> gauge was the first Australian railway -- the Melbourne to Sandridge
> line in
> VICTORIA, opened in 1853. It's true that South Australia had 5ft 3in
> gauge
> (on trunk lines -- there were many 3ft 6in gauge lines too), but that
> was
> adopted for compatibility with Victoria. The story goes that
> originally
> Victoria and NSW agreed on 5ft 3ins, but replacement of the Irish
> engineer
> in NSW with a Scot meant that the lines out of Sydney were all built
> to 4ft
> 8-1/2ins gauge, the first opening in 1854.
> That was quite a feat, too: the "ghat sections" west and north
> of
> Sydney rival those near Bombay for difficulty.
> Contrary to widespread supposition (and Durrant's book) the
> gauge
> differences didn't matter much because all the rail systems were used
> to get
> primary produce down to the ports, which, except in Queensland, were
> always
> the capital cities. As all the capitals were on the coast,
> communication by
> ship was easier and actually faster until well into the 20th century.
> (There
> were still regular shipping services in the 1950s). In modern times,
> with
> more inland transport of manufactured goods, there has been a trend
> toward
> standardisation of gauge, preceded by a quite effective "bogie
> exchange"
> programme for freight movements. (Railway Board ought to look at that:
> it
> might be cheaper than gauge conversion!)
> Cheers
> Ken Walker
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Trotter <david@dtrotter.email
> To: iti@vsnl.email <iti@vsnl.email kjw_meh@powerup.email
> <kjw_meh@powerup.email FyffesFL@aol.email <FyffesFL@aol.email
> Cc: Rodger Trotter <Rodger@TudorLodge.email Maureen
> Carswell
> <mocarswell@hotmail.email Evan Pamely <et@pamely2.email
> Ashley
> Black <ajblack@compuserve.email irfca@cs.email <irfca@cs.email
> Date: 24 July 1999 1:29
> Subject: Re: Argentinian 5'6" gauge and the Irish Gauge of 5'3"
>
> >Hi Gang:
> > While it is hard to believe it, the reason for the presence of the
> 5ft 3"
> >gauge in the world of Brazil railways stems directly to events
> occurring in
> >Ireland in the early 1800's.
> >. The story goes that as a result of a Commission decision chaired
> by a
> >Major General Pasley back in c.1837 the track gauge decreed for
> Ireland
> main
> >line railways was 5ft 3in. The narrow gauge world of 3ft gauge
> continued
> >unaffected as before. The commission had considered the existence of
> two
> >gauges:( the 4ft 8 1/2" ,the Dublin and Kingstown Railway and the 6ft
> 2",
> >the Ulster Railway ) and the outcome was a compromise which pleased
> no one.
> >( other than the contractors of course).
> >Arising out of the decision two Irish railway engineers went out to
> both
> >South Australia and Brazil and perpetuated the anomaly in the track
> gauge
> of
> >the railways they worked on.
> >The subject is still very relevant in 1999 as Irish railways continue
> to
> >suffer from the lack of flexibility and increased costs arising from
> the
> >specialist track gauge. It also rules out any benefits from through
> running
> >via boat trains and the Channel Tunnel providing access to the
> Continent.
> >On the preserved scene due to the now long past scrapping of steam
> >locomotives we continue to wrestle with the lack of suitable steam
> >locomotives. Consideration has been given to regauging from the
> >Finnish/Russian gauge of 5ft but as yet a suitable method has not
> been
> found
> >which avoids exceeding the Irish loading gauge. Finnish steam locos
> have
> an
> >additional cylinder on the outside of the external steam cylinders
> which
> >adds to the overall width measurement.
> >
> >To finish: Doesn't the subject of railways expand one's horizons?
> >
> >David T.
> >
From: Joydeep Dutta <>
Subject: Re: WDM 2 from the footplate
Date: 26 Jul 1999 04:00:21 -0500
Dear Apurva
The lub oil pressure gauge, the booster pressure gauge, and the fuel oil
gauge are in front of you when you are in the short hood control stand.
One
important extra gauge is the HS4 pressure gauge, the last one of the air
pressure gauges if you go from left to right. This is an important
componeb\nt while working vacuum braked coaches. The HS4 valve is in the
VA
1B chamber in the short hood ie nose compartment.
The HS4 pressure should be maintained at 25 p.s.i for proper brake
action.
But a very important locomotive component --- the PNEUMATIC CONTACTOR
SWITCH
is at the back of the longhood stand. Long hood stand
also has a electirc speedometer as you know. The Hasler speedo is at the
short hood ends but now they put it on the longhood end also
You will not find HS4 pressure gauge in the longhood stand and you wont
find
it at all in a all airbrake WDM2 locomotive ie a WDM2B.
Joydeep
>From: Apurva Bahadur <iti@vsnl.email
>To: Joydeep Dutta <joydeepdutta@hotmail.email
>CC: Polaris@polaris.email IRFCA <irfca@cs.email
>Subject: WDM 2 from the footplate
>Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 13:59:24 +0530
>
>
>Dear Joydeep - please do mark a copy to the IRFCA !
>
> >
> > The short hood control stand has some extra gauges which is not
there on
>the
> > longhoodstand.
>
>Which are these gauges ? If I remember correctly they are the Booster
air
>pressure (BAP - Pressure at the outlet of the Booster - Railway pidgin
for
>Turbo
>charger), Lube Oil pressure and Water temperature ?
>
> > When you take charge of the loco make some things very sure
> > even if your assistant checks them. Check the fuel gauge stick
attached
>to
> > the main fuel tank. Check the generator room and the expressor
> > chamber(exhauster and compressor). Then walk down to the other side
of
>the
> > inspection walkway and check the lube oil gauge bayounet.
>
>This should stick out under the oil pressure if working correctly ?
>
> >
> > Gaddi
> > apni chal pakad legi.... thats what my great driver friend M. S.
>Narayana of
> > Kharagpur use to say.
>
>You could list the entire set of dialogues that are exchanged on the
>footplate -
>
>Asst: Starter Right
>Driver: Right !
>etc.
>
> > When you open the first notch you will hear a sound
> > from the electrical control panel which is in the wall separating
the
>cab
> > and the generator room.
>
>Did you notice the rich humming sound as the loco begins to accelerate
at
>around
>20 Kmph. I was in the Jehangir Hospital next to Pune station to stay
with a
>patient through the night and I began to look forward to this lovely
sound
>that
>(I think) the loaded traction motors make.
>
> > That is the sound of the series contactors picking up. The loco
traction
> > motors are now in series- parallel connection and at 38km/h it will
take
>the
> > first transition from series-parallel to series - paralle shunted
field.
>
>What Raymond was saying is that the throttle is actually eased during
these
>transitions. But what I have observed that the lurch during
acceleration is
>actually the throttle being eased momentarily. This is automatically
done.
>The
>lurch can be felt in the train as well if you are attentive.
>
>Apurva
>
>
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From: Don Dickens <>
Subject: Unsubscribe
Date: 26 Jul 1999 05:20:37 -0500
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From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: Re: WDM 2 from the footplate
Date: 26 Jul 1999 05:41:37 -0500
> BTW, Apurva bhai u can hear the great roar by keep the long-short hood
> direction rod(in level with the driver's seat) in neutral(middle
position)
> and keep shifting the gear rod from 0 to 8.
Correct terminology ? Gear lever ? In a WDM 2 it would be
known as the
throttle ! You can also prevent the loco from moving by
opening the Generator
Field (GF) circuit breaker located in the corner of the
control stand.
Let us do this marking of the WDM 2 cab project. Send me the
picture by email and we
would jointly annotate it and put it on the web. I had put up
a list of the
switches in the cab of a DM 2 sometimes last year. I could
remail that message
on the IRFCA if you so desire.
I have some pictures of the control stand and instruments of
the WDM 2. I also have some pics of the electrical contol
cabinet and the electronic cards. I am not sure if there are
enough audiance for such technical stuff.
> The demo of how the dy. brake functions was also very good.I was
amazed.
You would be even more impressed when the D brake is operated
at full cruising speed.
Apurva
From: Apurva Bahadur <>
Subject: [Fwd: Long Hauls etc.
Date: 26 Jul 1999 08:10:41 -0500
IRFCA must hear of this. Raymond, do mark a cc to the whole gang !
From: Jishnu Mukerji <>
Subject: Re: Accident Management Ideas
Date: 26 Jul 1999 08:20:33 -0500
Apurva Bahadur wrote:
>
> Dear Gang !
>
> I always thought that the integral coach *had* crumple zones. The
toilets are supposed
> to collapse on impact and protect the rest of the carriage.
>
> Apurva
Actually, I believe, the primary crumple zones are the doors, since that
is where the frame is naturally the weakest. The coach end toilets are
of course more likely to get crushed than the body of the coach in an
excessive buffing situation due to their location, but the doors are
supposed to fail first.
But it must be remembered that all this crumple zones stuff works only
if most of the collision force arrives at the carriage longitudinally.
For that to happen the trains consists needs to stay together, i.e.
couplers must hold together. Once the train breaks up and cars pile up
on top of one another, or if parts of a concrete bridge falls on a
carriage, these longitudinal crumple zones do not help much, as was
amply illustrated in the Eschede ICE derailment in Germany.
Jishnu.