Geurie crossing loop collision

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The 1963 Geurie crossing loop collision occurred at night. The train in the crossing loop was standing foul of main line, so that when the opposing train arrived, a collision occurred. Geurie is located between Orange, New South Wales and Dubbo.

The train in the loop was hauled by a 265-tonne Beyer-Garrett AD60 class locomotive 6003, and the extra length from the front of the locomotive to the driver's position contributed to the misjudgment of standing clear of the mainline. NSWGR C38 class No.3817 collided with the Garrett loco. Since the steam era was drawing to a close, both locomotives were written off.

The fouling point was marked by a white lamp on a white post located quite close to the actual fouling point. In hindsight, this fouling post should have been located an extra half-engine length from the hazard point. The loop was operated with hand levers, primitively interlocked.

In the collision, the engine of the opposing train was seriously damaged, and given the looming demise of steam, was scrapped. A more satisfactory signalling system would have been to have had a point indicator combined with a track circuit indicator.

[edit] Similar accidents

• Zanthus train collision

[edit] See also

• List of rail accidents

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