Re: Pantograph Operation - Melbourne
  Ronald Besdansky

I think it was the person that demonstrated the driving instruction car at
Hawthorn. It was probably a case of getting people to do the right thing by
habit, even though the probability of causing a problem would be very low.
I think I can recall seeing an arc being drawn if the compressor was
running and they did do the "pole down first" sequence.

On Thu., 10 Jan. 2019, 16:15 'Richard Youl' via TramsDownUnder < tramsdownunder@... wrote:

> While this would be correct in some very particular locations, the

> standard outer terminus certainly has no insulator where a tram could

> bridge two sections. The wire itself usually ends a short distance further

> on. So overall that conductor was mistaken.

>

> It is normal practice to put the front pole up before the rear is lowered

> to avoid darkening the tram, something unavoidable with single pole

> tramcars.

>

> Regarding steelwork, both polls must not be raised in the depot in case

> the rope slips from the hand and the pole flies up and strikes steelwork

> supporting the roof.

>

> As for bridges, one workmate somehow managed to cause such a short in

> Spencer Street under the multiple railway tracks at Flinders Street. I

> don’t think the second pole was involved but nevertheless an interesting

> short-circuit occurred which astonished the person involved!

>

> Regards,

>

> On 9 Jan 2019, at 8:34 pm, Ronald Besdansky shrdlu.junction@...>

> wrote:

>

> So it's the same as with poles. I asked someone why the conductor lowered

> the rear pole before the driver raised the front one when changing ends -

> which plunged the car into darkness at night - I was told it was to avoid

> bridging an SI in case there was an earth fault on the section beyond it,

> and because of the danger of the pole being raised flying up and contacting

> the steelwork of an over bridge.

>

> On Wed., 9 Jan. 2019, 21:25 'Richard Youl' via TramsDownUnder <

>tramsdownunder@... wrote:

>

>> As the length of the insulating material in the centre of the SI is

>> greater than the length of the pantograph head to avoid bridging the two

>> sections, it is necessary to cut power to avoid an arc which burns the

>> insulating material and adjacent metal.

>>

>> Regards,

>>

>> On 9 Jan 2019, at 7:48 pm, Ronald Besdansky shrdlu.junction@...>

>> wrote:

>>

>> Are drivers still required to cut-off at section insulators and

>> H-crossings?

>>

>> I remember Green Men noting down the numbers of trams drawing an arc as

>> they crossed Swamston St in Collins St - not wanting to lose momentum for

>> the climb beside the Town Hall?

>>

>> --

>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups

>> "TramsDownUnder" group.

>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an

>> email totramsdownunder+unsubscribe@....

>> To post to this group, send email totramsdownunder@....

>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

>>

>> --

>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the

>> Google Groups "TramsDownUnder" group.

>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit

>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tramsdownunder/QHtpnFg0CA0/unsubscribe..

>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to

>>tramsdownunder+unsubscribe@....

>> To post to this group, send email totramsdownunder@....

>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

>>

> --

> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups

> "TramsDownUnder" group.

> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an

> email totramsdownunder+unsubscribe@....

> To post to this group, send email totramsdownunder@....

> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

>

> --

> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the

> Google Groups "TramsDownUnder" group.

> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit

> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/tramsdownunder/QHtpnFg0CA0/unsubscribe.

> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to

>tramsdownunder+unsubscribe@....

> To post to this group, send email totramsdownunder@....

> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

>