You are correct in that the depressed cable required the Gripman to release the cable prior to the crossing and pick it up after crossing. The depressed (lower) cable was the one associated with Collins st. at Swanson St as this cable had to held down in the dip in the road otherwise it would pull up through the slot. The release point marked with one white marble bar across the track and pick up marked with two bars.
The layout of Melbourne streets in relation to the hills would mean Any intersections with a steep rise or approach would have a depressed cable. These intersections needed traffic control to ensure the trams releasing a cable could Coast through unimpeded by cross traffic.

Sent from my iPhone

> On 25 May 2017, at 2:54 pm, 'Len'len.millar@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

>

> I’m not very technically-minded – but as I recall words of wisdom from the late Alf Twentyman (cable tram preserver extra-ordinaire), at the intersections of two cable tram lines at, say, Swanston and Collins Streets one street’s cables were conducted by pulleys under the cables in the cross street. Drivers along one street were required to cross the intersection with the cable released. In other words, to coast across the intersection. The drivers in the other street could “power” across the intersection gripping the cable.

>

> Would that have been the case?

>

> Len

>