En el artículo , Andy Burns escribió:
Okay, so it would be interesting to know what precautions they've taken to prevent Croydon-type accidents, as automatic train protection is seen as inappropriate and too expensive for trams.
The bends I'm thinking of are in on-street sections, so probably grooved track, but if one were to fall over there it would be likely to crush pedestrians as well as passengers.
In message , at 09:21:39 on Sat, 12 Nov 2016, Andy Burns remarked:
Ignoring the part north of Wilkinson Street (straight old railway) and from just south the river to the bypass (straight old railway), very little new track exists that's not on-street - with corresponding slower running speeds. Admittedly there are very sharp bends either end of that southern straight section, and at Wilkinson St.
In message , at 09:24:59 on Sat, 12 Nov 2016, Andy Burns remarked:
There are also reports like "When we were coming through the tunnel we were going at some speed and the tram was speeding up more and more."
Which if the tunnel has the highest speed limit doesn't make sense if it was just the driver speeding.
Also: "When we got out I asked the driver if he was okay and what happened and he just said to me: 'I think I blacked out'".
True enough.
Are the trams limited by the normal 30mph speed limits? I presume they are.
The trams do have their own 'traffic lights' but I don't remember seeing speed limit signs ahead of tight bends, presumably there are limits, but it's down to driver knowledge of the route?
Not quite, it uses a lot of former railway formations but the physical track and ballast was new. The bend was a turning off a former railway formation onto a completely new build section. It would be too sharp for trains.
That was done on there to save money and it did give a very poor ride so much so that residents in properties adjoining the routes finding components shaken off landing in their gardens. ICBW but I think it has all been replaced now. at least on the original section taken over. Not sure if they learnt from the experience and replaced the track on the later routes to Oldham etc.
G.Harman
Ah, are check rails generally at a slightly greater radius than the inside rail (ie between the two running rails), rather than a slightly greater radius than the outside rail? My mistake.
Yes, that was my initial comment that a passenger said she had realised they were speeding up while in the tunnel instead of slowing down and decided to hang on tight.
Ah, I didn't hear that one.
And impose birth control?
The only difference between rail track and light rail track is the thickness of the rails. There is no reason to think that trams running on rail tracks are less safe than trains running on the same track.
Buses are far less safe so if there is investment to be made it should be in road safety and not wasted on trams.
Why don't people that think things are going wrong pull the alarm?
A train was derailed after tyre went through the floor and nobody pulled the alarm and it derailed a few miles on.
The sharp bend was added precisely because it was re-used track - to join two bits that weren't joined before. A train couldn't negotiate such a tight curve.
The tramway was only viable by utilising old railway track. To have started afresh would have cost too much.
It's called a driver. What precautions are taken to avoid a bus crash? Really mainly the skills of the driver. It's much the same with these trams given they run through ordinary streets too with pedestrians etc and traffic lights.
En el artículo , dennis@home.? escribió:
I was thinking more along the lines of trams running on old and established track that had perhaps had the minimum of work done to it to make it usable. Certainly some of it seems to still be on wooden sleepers.
I think the huge success of Manchester's Metrolink, and Blackpool's refurbished tram system, to cite but two examples, rather proves you wrong.
En el artículo , Roland Perry escribió:
^^^^^ "I had to come up with some excuse for taking the bend too fast and this was all I could think of".
But time and the RAIB will tell.
Seems to suit you perfectly.
In message , at 10:30:03 on Sat, 12 Nov 2016, Andy Burns remarked:
On-road I would expect so. In practice, especially where they are sharing the road with other vehicles and pedestrians, they'll be going slower than that.
iirc there are indeed speed limit signs within, and on entering and leaving, off-road sections. They are quite small diamonds.
as are many rail tracks .
Track designed for trains is not a problem for trams. The other way round could be.
To many" old railway track" will be interpreted as the rails.
The route of old railways was used , the actual rails and sleepers were replaced. At first glance track all looks much the same even if it is a lighter section , but there other factors such as how much the rails are inclined from the vertical so the running surface matches the wheel profile which is different for trains and vehicles like trams which have a different profile more suited to sharper curves and a small flange so the groove where they run on a normal highway can be kept as small as possible. Manchester did use old railway metals and the wheels have a different profile. A Manchester tram would not be happy on the Croydon Tramlink track. On the 1st converted section of route from Wimbledon to Croydon the former railway was single track and the Tramway was rebuilt as double, a short section where clearances were tight was only converted to double in last year or so.
G.Harman
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