Alice Springs Observations

barryc · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 9:50 pm

I was in Alice the week before last so I thought I'd do a bit of train spotting in between other things.

I didn't have a car much of the time but I was within walking distance of the passenger terminal. The only train I saw was the southbound Ghan on Thursday but I did have a good inspection of the southern end of the yard.

I assume that the signalliing equipment at this end would all date from the construction of the line in 1980 and would follow then CR practice which is heavily North American influenced.

Some questions.

AS has a number of signals that would be called in NSW homes, as well as a number of signals we would call starters. As well as this the points at the southern end of the yard are power worked.

It certainly has become a quiet yard since the Darwin extension went through.

ike1 · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:39 pm

good day barry c
very shortly all signals in alice are going to be removed when westinghouse get of there butts a/c termites etc eating cables and when being repaired very expensive as work is done by local contractor also signals work in conjunction with traffic lights on stuart hwy and larapinta dr
point 1
singals came when new line was laid
point 2
all 4 signals are absolute signals 2 arrival/ 2 departure colour light signals
point 3
signals are controlled from control board in pacific national office
point 4
derail is on auxiliary roads to middle of yard and over to intermodal yard where semi trailers are parked
to protect G S R main line

ike1in alice

Shacks · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:28 pm

Ike, can you check for me, I have photo's from Anzac Hill of the sun setting behind the rail yards, does it run east west ? I thought the gap was south of the yards ?

Shacks

Also see http://glenschackier.fotopic.net and http://shacksbmx.fotopic.net/

ike1 · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:49 pm

will check tomorrow going to darwin monday
then on thursday to adelaide till 7/1/06 holidays

ike1

E1109 · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:13 pm

E1109 · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:24 pm

How many signals are there for Alice? I have located:

2 at the yard side of the Larapinta drive intersection
1 near Espie St (where the two lines become one prior to the level crossing)

There also appears to be one by Bloomfield St.

Are there any south of the Heavitree Gap?

E1109 · Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:28 am

The following signals have been "bagged" in Alice in the last few days:

The 2 posts in the rail yard side of the Larapinta Drive crossing facing south
The post on the Espie Street side of Larapinta Drive facing north.
The post on the Larapinta Drive side of Espie Street facing south.

ike1 · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:39 pm

alice does not have any signals any more de comissioned last fri all xing bells operate on track circuit

ike1

E1109 · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:56 pm

With all the bells now on track circuits, does this mean that the days of some driving to the end of the yard to operate the level crossing are over?

Another question for you , Ike1:

At the Lovegrove Drive crossing ( the one at the Darwin end of the Alice yard) there is a sign that says "STOP proceed under hand signal". Is this still relevent now that ht e track circuits have been done for the level crossings?

ike1 · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:55 pm

sorry i was wrong
bells only work on approach to alice from the north darwin end
and south roe creek end
trains departing must stop and bells turned on to depart

ike1

E1109 · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 8:42 pm

Anther one ike1:

Does the freight from down south come in on the lines near the pax terminal, drop the rear portion of the train, run across Lovegrove drive & then reverse back into the yard (presuming another track is reversed into) on a common basis?

ike1 · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:18 pm

train arrs from south on middle road in yard
couple of roads over from where ghans arrival road is
loading is detached where ever it is marshalled on train from adelaide and what was attached at port augusta
loading is detached into old intermodal yard over where all empty trailers are
then any loading for north is attached shunted back to where rear portion of train was left air test done engines fueled up then f off to darwin
easy

ike1

E1109 · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 9:28 pm

So this is done on a nightly basis with all the running back & forth or is it dependant on loading for the train?

E1109 · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:21 pm

Since the removal from service of the signalling in Alice Springs, there has been a STOP sign & another sign underneath fitted on the railyards side of Larapinta Drive level crossing facing the rail line. Whats written on this sign? Is it something to do with the removal of the signalling?

ike1 · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:37 pm

yes its is to do with removal of old signals
i am in adelaide and suspect this board says stop proceed under hand signals a reminder to drivers not to depart until gongs are going
will back next week will have a look for u

ike 1 here and there