Why Am I Still Alive

by Brian Hogan

  The Illawarra line from Waterfall to Wollongong is designed with bi-directional signalling. This meant that normally trains travelled in one direction each way on their defined track. With this type of signalling, in the event of timetable issues or other incidents, this signalling system allowed trains to travel in either direction on either track.

  This bi-directional running option was particularly used if a slow train held up passenger services. Operations Control at Wollongong could implement bi-directional working allowing the one train being slowed up to pass that train on the other track in the same direction.

  To manage the safety for the staff who patrolled the sections, there was in use what we called X, Y and Z keys which could be obtained at designated locations along the track corridor. The removal of these keys from these locations meant that in the defined section, bi-directional working could not to be implemented remotely unless that key was returned. On this occasion, a passenger train had lost its power in the section of track between Helensburgh and Otford as it travelled on to Wollongong. This meant that this line was then closed, and bidirectional running was implemented on the other track allowing trains to traverse this section from either direction.

  Photo 14 - Location where the passenger train lost power

  In this case the train’s pantograph had slipped out from under the 1500V overhead wiring on the sharp radius curve and as it is “spring loaded” then it just extended to its full length. As the train was in motion it then came back into contact with the overhead wiring and was demolished in the process. This train had stopped as a result.

  Whilst I was investigating the incident with the local operations inspector, a train was travelling in the direction to Wollongong but on the “wrong” track as the incident stopped trains running on the correct line.

  He was walking in the middle of the live track whilst I was walking beside him on the track that had no rail traffic on it. The local operations inspector who was inspecting the incident site, became so engrossed in the examination of the passenger train and trying to determine why the pantograph had shifted out from under the overhead wiring, forgot he was walking on the live line and was not aware of the train travelling at the normal speed on the other track.

  The train came around the bend. The driver saw the inspector at the same time as I sighted the train. The train was very close and could not stop in time.

  I was beside him on the closed track. There was not enough time to call out to him and shout “train on” as his reaction time would have meant that he would not move out of danger before being hit. I took the only alternative available and grabbed him hard and pulled him off the track just as the train was going pass. He just missed being clipped by the fast-moving train.

  We both took some deep breaths as that was so close.

  He said, “Thank you, I should never have been on that track. Wow that was a close shave.”

  Both our heart rates were pumping.

  It just shows that you really need to have someone watch your back always when you are on the track especially when trains are running in the wrong direction.

  Our inspection continued but we both had that healthy unease after such a close call. The train was shunted out of the section that caused the pantograph failure, works to rectify the overhead carried out and trains ran again.

  Section 2

  that is the way it was done back then

  How Did Your Day Go, Dear?

  The 2000 Olympic and Para Olympic games were fast approaching. Construction and finishing works were in a flurry everywhere. All outstanding jobs were hastily trying to be completed prior to when the whole world would be watching ‘those Games’.

  The Olympics site was no different. Having just completed the new sprint platform at Lidcombe, separating the freight trains from the passenger trains by construction the new freight lines at Flemington and constructing the new track through the Olympic Loop I thought all was now ready.

  We had also just finished the construction of the new Olympic Loop rail line using the tracklayer. Preparations were now in place to finalise the rosters for the staff who would be working around the clock ensuring the trains ran according to the new timetable.

  Photo 15 – Rail bridge for Olympic Loop trackwork

  I received a call from the Federal Police that the SAS intelligence unit wanted to have a walkthrough inspection around the Olympic rail corridor to identify any possible sites for terrorist attacks and the like then look at what actions needed to be carried out to mitigate those risks.

  After setting up a mutual time to meet with these officers, we set out and walked around the whole Olympic site as well as the track approach areas from both Strathfield and Lidcombe stations. We listened to their views and what they wanted to do as part of their security measures.

  The security officers were satisfied with what they saw but had identified one issue. The only new proposal that required urgent attention was to place a new pedestrian gate in the boundary fence close to the Olympic Park Station tunnel to allow a prompter response by the SAS if they needed to gain access to the tunnel in a hurry. Access for this site was not previously provided as it was not required for maintenance purposes.

  Photo 16 – Site of Olympic Loop track to be constructed

  The Olympics were due to start in under two weeks’ time. Work needed to be carried out in a hurry to meet the deadline. SAS staff were now on site, it was a designated secure site and all access by the main routes had security personnel who checked all who entered and exited.

  Engagement of a fencing contractor to install the new pedestrian gate was undertaken and the fencer was shown where this gate was to be installed. He passed the secure access site and then proceeded to the location to install the gate. Removing all the materials off the back of the truck, he lumbered them up to the worksite and with the oxy-acetylene in hand he proceeded to cut the hole in the existing fence to install the new gate. After he had cut the top horizontal pipe he leant down to adjust the cutting gauge.

  As he did so he turned around as he saw movement in the corner of his eye. He saw to his horror, six SAS men all pointing their rifles on him. He staggered backwards obviously in fear with his hands up shouting, “don’t shoot, don’t shoot”.

  He was allowed to make call back to our offices where we convinced security he was working under our direction. The SAS staff left him to finish the job he was contracted to do. Obviously upset at what he had just experienced he went back to his truck, sat down and made himself a cuppa. After about fifteen minutes he went back to his worksite to finish the job he had commenced.

  He removed a section of the existing fence of sufficient width to allow the placement of the new pedestrian gate. Returning to his truck he then picked up the materials to build the gate. As he lifted up the new fence posts he again felt someone moving behind him. Turning around there were another group of SAS security staff, but different to the first lot, pointing their rifles at him. This time he screamed at them to go away.

  He rang me up in an agitated state and said, “I have had enough”.

  He packed up all his materials and promptly left the Olympic site. Obviously, the SAS staff were totally bored and felt they needed some training exercise. So, they thought they would use this contractor for some training exercise.

  He certainly had a story to tell his wife that evening when she asked him “how was your day dear?”

  We on the other hand had the task of quickly getting someone else to finish the job.

  Works never go smoothly no matter how much planning one puts into it.

  The Great Wall

  Keeping the train commuters and public safe has long been in vogue. What commuters don’t always recognise is that the same also applies to rail employees. Situations do occur where these staff are placed at risk through no fault of their own.

  Let me tell you of a certain situation that occurred which required my involvement.

  When I was in the role
of Structures Engineer I was responsible for the asset management and maintenance for all structures on the network. This included not only the stations, bridges, tunnels and all buildings included tenanted properties but also boundary fences.

  I received a phone call from Operations one morning stating that there was a safety problem at the location just north of Redfern Station where the Eveleigh Up Engine Dive tunnel exits at its northern end. At this location trains wait at the signal to obtain a clearance prior to proceeding back onto the main line towards Central.

  Operations stated that on certain occasions, whilst the trains are waiting for the green signal, the local indigenous group there were standing at the boundary fence and throwing stones at the driver’s cab windows. They were having fun and enjoying watching the driver dodge the rocks and stones as well as the broken glass from the smashed windows. The driver having no place to hide, would crouch behind his chair waiting for the red signal to turn green.

  Can I arrange to put up a solid boundary fence to make it difficult for the locals to throw the rocks and protect the drivers?

  This sounded like an easy job!

  I rang my local structures inspector and arranged for him to place a high brick fence at this location as soon as possible. The inspector organised for the fence to go up the same day and arranged for the necessary bricks, other materials and the tradesmen to build the fence.

  The fence was completed by sunset and the staff went home, having completed a good bit of work in a short period of time.

  He rang me to say the job was completed.

  As I was informed the job was completed, I passed the information onto the local traffic inspector, so he could pacify the local train drivers.

  The next morning, I received a similar phone call again stating that the local indigenous group were throwing stones and bricks at the drivers as they waited at the red signal.

  Photo 17 - Location of the signal post near the dive tunnel

  How can that be?

  The solid brick fence had been completed and was high enough to block the view of the train from the adjoining land.

  Upon inspection I found that the locals, being ingenious, had removed the bricks from the wall whilst the mortar was still setting and using these bricks as larger projectiles. They had a ready supply of projectiles on site for their enjoyment!

  Again, I went through the same process and organised for the brick fence to be repaired but to ensure that there was no vandalism of the new work overnight I organised for security staff to protect the works whilst the mortar hardened. I especially requested an indigenous security staff so that he could talk to the locals there and convince them to leave the brick wall alone whilst it fully cured.

  As I was informed the job was completed a second time, I passed the information onto the local traffic inspector, so he could again pacify the local train drivers.

  That night I wondered how well the brick fence was being kept secure and whether I would receive another phone call in the morning. Hopefully all would go well and there would be congratulations all round on a job well done.

  The next day I did receive another call.

  This caller stated that the locals had again demolished the brick wall and had thrown the removed bricks at the drivers.

  Again? How could this be.

  I would have thought my careful planning and using security personnel would have solved the previous day’s problem. Upon investigation it was revealed that the locals had convinced the indigenous security staff to help them in removing the new brick wall. Which they did!

  Everyone joined in the fun!!

  For a small job this project was not only becoming costly but also demanding a lot of my time.

  My solution was to make a small project become a much larger project. I arranged through the local structures inspector to place a chain wire fence alongside the rail boundary. This was the first step. Then the bricklayers laid the new brick wall. The chain wire fence protected the brick wall while the mortar cured. Upon curing the chain wire fence was removed and the brick wall remained as it is now, a solid brick wall.

  There are now no more incidents of bricks or stones thrown at the driver’s windows whilst they waited for the signals to change from red to green and to give them a clear path ahead.

  What an interesting little project. It is amazing what lessons you learn on a day by day basis.

  I Came, I Saw, I Pinched

  Being in charge for the ongoing maintenance and operational availability for all the rail structures in the wider Metropolitan network meant I was also in charge of many Artisan staff. Artisan staff are those who are engaged to maintain the buildings, bridges and structures within the rail corridor as well as tenanted buildings.

  The structures I had maintenance responsibility for included all the rail stations, tunnels, overhead wiring structures, bridges both over and under the railway lines, boundary fences as well as all tenanted properties which were owned by the railways at the time.

  With over 400 staff it was a challenging position to hold when one was only 30 years of age. The staff were located at discrete depots all across the rail network where proximity to specific structures meant they could access these locations at short notice if incidents occurred. Within this group of staff included a number of bridge gangs who were responsible for maintaining not only the rail bridges but also carried out minor non-bridge works principally close to where their depots were situated.

  One of these bridge gangs was located at West Ryde adjacent to the railway station. Part of their role was to inspect and maintain their district’s bridges and boundary fences and miscellaneous structures including stations.

  The station booking office at West Ryde at the time was being broken into and robbed on a regular basis. The booking office safe which housed all the cash from the day’s takings as well as unfranked tickets and other valuables had also been broken into on these occasions. The bridge gang role was to remove damaged safes in booking offices and replace with new ones. These safes were in a secured booking office room and bolted onto the concrete floor for security purposes.

  After several frequent and regular break-ins at this particular station, police surveillance was sought and was being undertaken.

  The police had also advised of other nearby railway stations that had had break-ins to the booking offices. However it was West Ryde station that had the largest number of break and entries. The police were baffled as the break and entries were so finely executed.

  Photo 18 – Location of Bridge Gang Depot at West Ryde

  I was surprised when the police rang me early one morning and advised me after their surveillance that they had apprehended the culprits responsible for the spate of recent break and enters.

  What was found from the surveillance operations was that the West Ryde bridge gang would install the new office safe after the break-in then a few nights later some members of the bridge gang would then return in the gang truck which they drove up to the station.

  No questions were asked as the truck had the rail logos on the side and were clearly recognised by the public as railway work trucks. Similarly, the men operating the trucks were just considered to be those who had been called out during the night to attend to an incident.

  With the oxy-acetylene gear and hoses on the back of the truck, they would then run the hoses up the stairs to the front door of the booking office and burn their way in before then burning the front door off the safe and removing all its contents.

  These staff not only knew the layout of the booking office but had the means to use the equipment from the gang truck to help themselves to the valuable contents to supplement their salaries from their more honest work.

  Police in raiding these members’ homes also found unfranked tickets and other items kept in the safe on their property.

  These staff had a second job which paid more.

  Subsequently arrests were carried out and these members were no longer employe
d by the Railways.

  Amazingly after those arrests were made, all robberies at this station ceased.

  The life of Rabbit

  When I lived in Wollongong I worked as the construction engineer on the coal loader at Pt Kembla. Here I spent some eighteen months managing the construction of the rail facilities on the site. This included not only the construction of the electrified balloon loop track work and all the stabling sidings but also the rail administration buildings, the fuelling and sanding facilities for the diesel locomotives as well as all the rail bridges across both roads and rivers.

  Later on, it was my role to also manage the employment of day labour staff for the construction of the Pt Kembla Coal Loader, where the work teams’ construction staff were employed direct from the local community.

  One person who we employed was a man we nicknamed “Rabbit”, why I now cannot remember. But the name stuck whilst he was employed with us when he worked on the various projects on the Coal Loader.

  In those days on the construction site we used portaloos as toilets. What does a portaloo look like you may ask. Well, it is about the size of one of those old telephone boxes that use to be in the suburbs many years ago, Certainly before mobile telephones were in vogue. It is generally green in colour sometimes with a white roof. Access to the portaloo was through a door at the front. The ones we used had no wash basin facilities as we have a shed on site which had wash basins installed. It generally sat forlornly by itself due to the smell that would sometimes emanate from it, if it had not been pumped out for a period of time