Exchange of the ETS tokens.mpg

AH NSWR tradition. With rumours of the pending closure of Georges Plains (252 km west of Sydney) as a crossing loop staff station, I spent some time shooting video. At the time, the two Electric Train Staff instruments connected the single line sectins between bathurst and Georges and Newbridge and Georges. Today this is all gone to history, the 34 km section between bathrust and newbridge operated under Rail Vehicle Detection (aka Single Line Track Block). The bell codes were a charming facet of the ETS system, 3 bells for train arrived and 2 bells for train departed etc.
This sequence is available in the DVD Working train 8331 available from Alcoworld Ingleburn NSW.

[@bwoolno]

I worked at The Risk in the 70's . We used both the cane slings and the smaller ones for the auto exchangers . With the staff instruments, suppose to be on manual but kept them on auto , until you heard a vehicle pull up , in case it was an inspector. At which time they were quickly switched to manual . Only got caught once and got a bung for it

[@aussiealco]

yep short-cuts were prolific on the railway back in the good ole days, I enjoyed ETS, not being a fan of train order system, though I did enjoy the manual Track Warrant system while belting around Tasmania.

[@dalerichards2135]

Steve, thanks, this brought back some memories. I was a SWSA HS Newbridge in the late 80,s. I was lucky to do shifts at Gresham and Georges plains. I remember taking the staff from W1 at 80km/h I caught mine the fireman didnt get his...

[@judgementravi480]

Exactly but i went too far great escape 😄

[@callum_bracht]

For anyone wondering now (I know it’s 9 years after the vids come out) this system is still used at occasional times in the NSW system (Australia) the only place that it is still used is the section of single track between Kiama and Bomaderry

[@aussiealco]

G'day, You might be thinking of Half Pilot Staff working utilized during emergencies for single line bi-directional rail vehicle detection. A Half Pilot Staff housed in a lock at each end of the single line section. Each being removed and screwed together to form the full pilot staff. Steve.

[@lindsaydonovan6241]

Actually they removed that system from that section of line.

[@3ru457]

Why did they do that? I don't know alot about trains so this may best an obvious question sorry mate

[@lindsaydonovan6241]

@@3ru457 The system was 100 years old and if anything went wrong someone had to drive around fixing it. Radio communications, whilst finnicky in a technical sense, is simpler in an operational one. One of the issues was the telegraph wires getting nicked by copper thieves.

[@callum_bracht]

@@3ru457 it’s mainly for rural areas where digital signalling facilities might be unavailable, it works as like a right of way token into a certain section of track, if the driver doesn’t have the staff, they’re not allowed to drive past a certain point until they are given one

[@dkbmaestrorules]

Brilliant! They sure don't hang around exchanging tokens in Australia - the limit for doing it in the UK is 15 mph!

[@AmbianEagleheart]

George's Plains is at the bottom of 6 miles of 1/40.

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

Excellent video Steve, was just out at Georges Plains the other day, signal box is still there all boarded up, and the ETS exchange stand still at platforms edge but falling apart. Station building and SM's house no longer rented out due to asbestos, and thus all boarded up and starting to deteriorate, just like Newbridge. Sad really, these grand old buildings going to rack and ruin. Reminds me of Gelco and Marrickville staff huts when they were about.

[@aussiealco]

G'day Dave, I know probably the final resident of the Georges Plains station. He was an ex Lithgow engineman. He did say that the building was a tad sad. And, how he and his family managed to get any sleep with trains thundering past, who knows. The Georges Plains pub long gone to history, a residence now days. Only the church still stands on the hill as seen in that classic flick; A Steam Train Passes. Steve.

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

Was wondering where you went, last year I walked from Capertee station to Carlos Gap Tunnel over five days, camped along the way, fantastic scenery and poking around for rail history. Never done the other side of the tunnel. It's all abuzz out in the central west with a bumper grain harvest expected. Tottenham line reopened after AK Cars over a week ago, ballast train from Bogan Gate to Tottenham this weekend. Tichborne open for storage and Bogan Gate Sub Terminal has a huge rake of AWB blue hoppers stabled in it the other day. SSR trying to rustle up decent horsepower to rain trains, after they took over Airly and Clarence coal from Pacific National they are struggling with motive power of quality. Remember Gelco and Marrickville quite well, all consigned to history now. Dave

[@aussiealco]

G’day Dave, I had only once been shanghaied to Cooks River yard. I never worked out to Botany. So, don’t know about your Gelco location. I did enjoy rattling to White Bay and Rozelle yards. Plus worked into the Brickworks and Abattoirs many times before the Olympics. I learnt the folly of a tail pull when a BCW was the last wagon. Yank the tap open, drop the hose and RUN. Much more civilized with a caboose on the rear. There are some bonzer views from the Mudgee line north of Carlos Gap tunnel. Though, the last time that I was out there the trees had pervaded everywhere. Amazing that numerous tiny communities existed. Little evidence remaining today. Yes, I would presume that everyone is banking on a good grain harvest this season. PN scrapping more 48 class would not help with the situation. Cramped yes, but the things would slog it out all day at 13 kph with 410 tonne each on a 1 in 40. Bigger is not always better. I have only slogged the perway access once. Many moons ago, I hoofed from Bathurst to Tarana. Went to the pub and camped the nite near the station. Went fishing in the river the following day, and got chased by a tiger snake. Went back to the pub to settle the nerves. Rode the pas home. Steve.

[@dieseldavetrains8988]

@@aussiealco A couple of months back I walked from Tarana to Birumba and then Solitary Creek, if I didn't have the car at Tarana I would have kept going to Sodwalls. Great walk and found remnants of Birumba, nil at Solitary Creek. There used to be trout in the creek at Tarana in days long past. Got a good feed of yabbies there awhile back. Another good walk I done in August was Sodwalls to Rydal Loop and back, Johnstons Siding still evident, couldn't find any trace of Antonio Siding at Antonio Creek though. Gelco was electric staff point from Cooks River to Port Botany, just shy of Kellogs Siding. Dave

[@aussiealco]

I have not heard of Birumba. Blokes put yabbie traps in a pond when on the way to Parkes. Collect the trap on the way home. Between Bumberry and Cookamidgera. From memory the Mandagery tank. Probably just carp in the Fish River near Tarana these days. And tiger snakes. We used to pick mushrooms and apples on the trek back from Wang Colliery. Increase the time for tonnage payment. But the time that we stopped to pick blackberries at Oakey Park while on the banker, we all got sick. Had to give a bag also to the pointcop at Coalstage to keep him quiet. All three of us off sick the next day. Didn't know that perway had sprayed them the day before. Steve.

[@SheltonDCruz]

brilliant video capturing the not so captured!

[@pratikshah6452]

hahaha

[@BossSpringsteen69]

The train order hoop i'm familiar with which most of my co-workers know nothing about but, this ETS system is completely new to me. I must study more about this.

[@aussiealco]

G'day Boss, Single line token safe working was fairly common place around the global railways. Tablet, Electric Train Staff, Ordinary Train Staff and Ticket. Sadly, most of it has become extinct, except for preservation mobs. You will find a lot of information about ETS on the www. A Canadian Railways PDF document about the ETS utilized there should be still available. Train Orders were introduced here in NSW from 1997. I am not a fan of Train Orders, as employed here. I did enjoy the Track Warrant system employed in Tasmania while toiling down there. The Tassie Gov Railway did have a traditional Train Order system introduced after ETS and OTS&T was removed. Ed Burkhardt via Kiwiland then substituted Track Warrant control in 1998. Steve.

[@robertchinnock8017]

i used to know the station masters at albion park train station and using the old staffs and how the locomotives come flying thru the station and changing the staffs

[@Boxcarphilly]

I was in Thailand in July 2014 and hung out at a rural train station for about an hour, shot a bit of video of passenger trains coming and going, and at each end of the platform they had these erect poles where this hoop thing was placed for the engineer of the passing train to throw it onto upon arrival, and when leaving the station at the exit end he would grab a hoop to take with him. What's that all about?

[@aussiealco]

G'day Phil, I would need to see your video. But, I am guessing that the track sections are single line worked under token safeworking system. The train crew handing out the incoming token upon arrival and collecting the token for the next section upon departure. US train order system also utilized hoops and poles to deliver the paper train orders to train crew as they passed. The British token system was termed Tablet working. Here in NSW we had ETS as seen in my clip and also Ordinary Train Staff and Ticket. Steve.

[@POON3345]

+Phil Muller Thats the Token system which the crew in the days before computerize signalling must have upon entering any staff controlled station on the single line. That means his train is the only train on that section of track just like as mentioned from aussiealco. In Thailand we have the Neal's ball and some station also has the Tablet system.

[@darksideka]

And here near the end of 2021 I was wondering what these Operators also in Thailand were doing kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnPQeXqra7mtqbs And the very next video KZbin recommends is this one, It's Algorithm has developed telepathic abilities!!!

[@POON3345]

Well in Thailand in areas where CTC hasn't been installed the Tokens can be exchanged when the trains are passing the points at about 70kph to 85kph.

[@ThePaulv12]

Well, in the state of Victoria in Australia locos had automatic staff exchangers that could operate at full track speed. A ram's horn mounted to an anvil was deployed. This persisted until around the the early 2000s in some areas. They also had roll bys like this in some locations.

[@POON3345]

@@ThePaulv12 missing those old style British colonial signals.

[@aussiealco]

@xpack10034 G'day, I presume you refer to the T key in the box on the wall to the upper left of the newbridge ETS instrument. That would be the key to either switch that instrument from ordinary (manned) working to automatic (unmanned), Or, it might be the frame closing lever annet key. There was also a Bank Engine key at Georges associated with the Newbridge section. That banker only went as far as K peg 260 at the top of Tumulla bank. The train had to carry the ETS token the Bnaker that key.

[@jackcapewell4373]

they don't do this anymore

[@abhishekkumar-rm6si]

suberb take bro!!!

[@dcp4486]

I Miss this. The North Coast was ruined when they went and put CTC in.

[@madhusudanjog281]

thanks

[@krishnamurthiperinkulamgan1326]

Great!

[@-Vishnu-nq2ln]

If loco pilot missed the token what happened

[@aussiealco]

G'day Vishnu, When the ETS token cannot be collected by the train crew, the train must stop and a crewmember walk back to collect it. Then the train can continue into the section. There used to be automatic exchanger used on busy main lines. A screw held the outgoing token on a post which was elevated. The locomotive also had a screw apparatus onto which the incoming token was placed and the screw lowered. As the train passed at speed, the tokens were exchanged. But, you did not stand any where near this post, as occasionally the token would fly off the screw. Steve.

[@kurzewinke1694]

great video, but it looks a little bit dangerous for the staff

[@aussiealco]

G'day Kurze, The ETS system regulations stipulated a maximum train speed of 25 kph during day and 15 kph during night for the exchange of tokens when using the hoop. Providing that train speed was within the maximums, then the exchange was fairly safe. There was also the automatic exchange system which permitted the train to travel at track speed during the exchange. A mechanical lever was raised onto which the outgoing staff was attached. The incoming staff attached to the screw apparatus on the locomotive and lowered. Yes, you did not stand anywhere near the location of the auto exchanger as the staff could go hurtling off. I have never experienced the automatic method as this was generally removed in the mid to late 1970's. I have though seen video footage of it. Steve.

[@xpack10034]

why dont thay leve things as thay are its llike dont fix what ant broken

[@xpack10034]

what are the keys for

[@beagle7622]

Do people get their arms broken? It would scare me.

[@aussiealco]

G'day Beagle, Yes, you could get injured IF the train speed was TOO fast. The law was; a max of 25 kph during daytime and 15 kph during darkness. I remember blokes who got their arms bruised by attempting an exchange when train speed was too fast. The automatic exchange was performed at full road speed. A screw arm swinging out from the side of the cab to connect with the raised arm on which the outgoing staff hoop was hanging. You did NOT stand behind that during an exchange as if the hoops did not exchange correctly, the metal staff could fly off like a missile. Steve.

[@robertkennedy1087]

What is the ETS ? How does it work? Polite answers only please

[@aussiealco]

G'day Robert, ETS stands for Electric Train Staff. This was a token system for single line working. Two interlocked instruments, one at each end of the section hold the metal rod staff tokens. Only one staff can be removed from the pair of instruments, that being the authority to occupy the single line section. The metal rod has a number of rings which coincide with the throat lock slot in the instruments. Thus, adjoining section instruments and their staff tokens are different. The names of the section plus a number are engraved on each metal rod token. To extract a token, the bell code plunger is depressed. If no other token is removed, the galvanometer needle indicates Staff IN. At the opposite end of the section, the signalman (station staff or train crew) depress the bell code plunger to activate the electric circuit to permit the token being removed from the instrument at the end of section requested. If another token has been removed (for an opposing or train ahead), then the needle shows OUT and another token cannot be removed. ETS was utilized by most railways around the globe. Steve.

[@robertkennedy1087]

Thanks Steve . I am now familiar with the set up as it was or is still like this on single lines?

[@pintukhan199]

Ilaaka Pa Gazab ka cover Gabbar ka Pakeezah picture Bataye Jaye

[@kalyanasundaramjanakiraman1186]

Token system was also in india

[@aussiealco]

Yes, I have seen video of a circular ball type token used in India. Inserted into a pouch to be carried on the locomotive.

[@ashwanirajput1666]

What is this

[@wyim]

Ashwani Rajput This is an traditional (or old fashioned) way of getting the right for a train to pass through a section of a railways.

[@rogers906]

Looks like a giant gumball machine. Hope they don't still do this.

[@nyyotam4057]

It's so easy to exploit this system by a malicious actor to create an accident on purpose.. Frightening. All they have to do is to copy the token.