Chilean mining railways safe working

[stevej]

G'day,
I have recently viewed a very interesting DVD featuring the metre gauge mining railways of Chile.
I am curious about the safe working systems.
The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta and Bolivia utilizes USRR style infrastructure at crossing loops.
I am wondering if the safe working system is either Train Orders, or Track Warrant.
On approach to a crossing loop an inverted triangle board appears.
This is followed by a circular white board with a black horizontal band.
Then there is a USRR style switch stand vane, with white circle and red arrow.
I am also wondering if these switches are sprung trailable.
Unfortunately, the operation of the switches is not portrayed in the DVD.
stevej.

[JRB]

ÚSSR or USA? Either is a little odd as the FCAB had major British associations (hence the
hand lamp kin my collection).

[MRFS]

When built, the FCAB used ETS from the RSCo; nowadays I understand it is radio working and some form of train order control.

There seems to be some form of cab display unit at 0.28 in the following video, which also shews some aspects of the operation.

LINK

[Pete2320]

ÚSSR or USA? Either is a little odd as the FCAB had major British associations (hence the
hand lamp kin my collection).

USRR not USSR John. Quite different!

[JRB]

OOPS!

[stevej]

G'day all,
Thanks for the responses.
I will grab the video clip to take a squiz.
I did scrounge some info about the Ferronor Diego mob which now utilize a radio system to update following train location.
I had espied a headlight in the distance trailing one train in the DVD and got a tad anxious.
But, I presumed that due to the scenery, that following train was a good distance to the rear.
None of the metre gauge railways appear to utilize any end of train marker device.
Whilst working in Tassie, Line 17 on the Track Warrant was utilized for following trains working under the same limits.
A separation distance of 5 kms had to be maintained, achieved by radio communication with the train in advance.
stevej.

[MRFS]

Wasn't that a radio transponder at the end of the train - so if you knew you had radio contact you were within 5km of your tail?

[stevej]

G'day MRFS,
I am not sure if you are referring to the FCAB operation, or PNT Tassie regarding the end of train transponder.
I have grabbed the you tube video clip from the link, but have yet to fully digest the contents.
Unfortunately, I am not able to understand Spanish.
But, there seemed to be mention of a rearward facing camera in the FCAB loco.
If however, you are referring to the Tassie operations while I was employed down there, at that time there was no GPS factored into the radio system.
Being Driver Only Operation, there was the USRR style end of train unit transmitting to the monitor in the cab.
Advising of brake pipe pressure at the end of the train.
But, this did not relay any info to either Train Control or the following train.
I am not sure just how things operate down there now, as I departed in 2007.
I believe that computer generated track warrants are now transmitted via radio.
And, Block Posts appear to be utilized, I presume for following train movements.
But, while I was toiling down there, the Track Warrant was scribbled out by the driver while in route.
If following a train, you had to call that driver on the radio to obtain km pegs that he was clear of to proceed to a km peg 5 kms in the rear of that train.
With the then three northbound trains working the South Line it became hectic on the train radio.
The train radio was not discrete and all communications with train on the Tassie system were heard.
The ETU may today have GPS factored into the radio system.
stevej.