Metro Train wash

Photos of Southern African Metro Rail Systems! Photos should be 800x600 pixels, maximum size 130K. Very good ones will be moved to the Online Gallery, the rest may be pruned away after 14 days to conserve space.
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allanroy
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Metro Train wash

Post by allanroy »

The south easter is really blowing in the cape and this metro nearly had a real wash with sea water. The wave just dropped in time to let the train through.
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Derek Walker
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Derek Walker »

Excellent pic! wow that must be quite an experience for the driver. Doesnt it cause problems with the overhead lines?
Not quite on the rails.
Check out my train vids. http://www.youtube.com/user/nixops
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Steve Appleton »

It does cause problems with the overheads. I recall an SAR engineer many years ago telling me that they had to frequently "wash" the salt off the insulators and that they were also experimenting with different designs of insulators to find the type most resistant to the salt build up and to reduce the electricity leakage across them. Also note that the masts have been replaced with concrete ones in this location to help defeat the corrosion.
"To train or not to train, that is the question"
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John Ashworth
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by John Ashworth »

When Virgin Train's Voyager DMUs first began running along the British sea front at Dawlish, experiencing similar waves on a regular basis, the trains kept stopping. There was some electrical equipment on the roof which the sea water got into and this stopped the engines or something.
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Kevin Wilson-Smith

Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Kevin Wilson-Smith »

Excellent pics Allan!
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Steve Appleton »

Oh yes, seconded. I should have mentioned that in my previous response.
Great sequence of pics. Much more than just another train shot!
Well done, Allan.
"To train or not to train, that is the question"
Kevin Wilson-Smith

Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Kevin Wilson-Smith »

And definitely a picture of the month.........

http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... 16#p18316v
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allanroy
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by allanroy »

Thanks for all the compliments. Last year part of the track in this section was damaged due to waves, steel and electricity dont quite go with sea water
Ashley Peter
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Ashley Peter »

It certainly does affect the trains - and passengers! Last year part of the RSSA Natal Branch outing to Cape Town included a trip on the Simonstown line and several members (Brendon Anderson included) had a near miss when a massive rogue wave broke against the side of the coach, flooding through open windows right next to where they were sitting. Fortunately it never forced the train to stop, but for much of the remainder of the trip we had mini-tsunamis running up and down inside the coach, catching out the unwary who had forgotten to keep their feet off the floor!
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Steve Appleton
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Steve Appleton »

Pity the waves do not wash the graffitti off the outside too!
"To train or not to train, that is the question"
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Derek Walker
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Derek Walker »

I would think this train would be the train surfers perfect dream trip.
Not quite on the rails.
Check out my train vids. http://www.youtube.com/user/nixops
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Andreas Umnus
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Re: Metro Train wash

Post by Andreas Umnus »

Nice waves, excellent pictures.
I was waiting for waves like this one... unfortunately they didn't come so high at Muizenberg.
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