Michael Portillo visits Hunterson B reactor

[NY]

It's interesting that the coroner quotes two common public misconceptions: that the power is turned off overnight, or that it is kept turned off until a train is due. I have encountered another: that the rail is insulated except on the top surface that the collector shoe runs along.

The DLR system, with a shrouded conductor a couple of feet above the rails on the opposite side to platforms, is a step in the right direction. I'm not sure how the collector on the train disengages from the conductor on one side when the train has to turn at a junction and the conductor swaps sides.

[Steve Walker]

But seemingly safe activities can be dangerous.

The company I have been working for issued this video, based on one of their employees and his wife.

[Chris J Dixon]

It is much the same concept as the more familiar orientation, except that gravity will not help you, and springs are needed.

The pickup shoe is constrained to have a "stop" position which is designed so that it is never reached for any normal conductor rail location, and yet remains within the vehicle loading gauge.

The conductor rail has ramps at the end of each section, such that the pickup shoe will strike the ramp, and be gathered into its operating position.

Once the static and dynamic variations affecting the relationship between shoe and conductor rail are added into the calculation, the whole picture is certainly non-trivial.

Pickup arms are designed to break off cleanly in the event of striking an obstruction, which can lead to an interesting morning when maintenance has left a ramp out of tolerance (or even actually missing).

Chris

[Andrew]

We still have footpaths across Southern lines here in Sussex, but now they make it as difficult as possible to get anywhere near the track and 3rd rail with a sort of 'cattle grid' arrangement of 45 degree sawn timbers laid so that it is difficult to walk over.

[Andrew]

Like when you are carrying a scaffolding pole as happened to a workman at Liverpool St station during renovation many years ago.