Re: Track centres in Melbourne
  Richard Youl

There certainly was a restriction on trams passing each other on the same curve at Balaclava Junction until it was relaid one Easter about 10 years ago.

Nevertheless I once knocked from Reataurant Tram 442 the rear driver's step mirror (rear vision mirror) doing another turn.

I think I was turning from Hawthorn Rd from the East Brighton end into Glen Huntley Rd towards St Kilda while another tram, probably a crew change tram was coming from Glen Huntly Rd, East Malvern end, and entering Hawthorn Rd, returning to Glen Huntley depot.

I knew nothing about it until the conductress told me about it upon return to South Melbourne Depot. I bet that gave her a fright from doing her knitting!

I did an accident report but never heard any more about it as supposedly this turn was OK.

For several weeks 442 was running around with one yellow step mirror!

Regards,

> On 17 Jul 2017, at 6:07 pm, Mal Rowemal.rowe@... [TramsDownUnder] TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

>

>> On 17/07/2017 5:19 PM, 'Dudley Horscroft'transitconsult@... [TramsDownUnder] wrote:

>>

>> Yet I remember that in Swanston Street the '6 ft' was increased during a relay in the 1950s, supposedly so that the wider cars W5s?

>> could use that road. I remember words about the "Devil Strip" being made wider.

> Several track relays have included wider track centres in various locations, but there has never been a section of track where there was a restriction on using any of the fleet.

> I attach a pic of a track relay where you can see a recent example of track centre widening.

> http://tdu.to/Wider-track-centres_KeilorRd_6April2015.JPG

>

> All the standard bogie cars of the MMTB from W to W7 are exactly the same width over the footboards - 9' or 2.74 metres. That of course is 9cm wider than the current standard for new trams.

>

> I think that the track centres in Swanston St may have been made wider at the request of the Police - to give the constables on point duty a bit more 'wriggle room'.

>

> The only place I am aware of which had any restrictions was passing movements on the curves at Balaclava Junction.

>

> Mal Rowe

>

> <Wider-track-centres_KeilorRd_6April2015.JPG>