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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 17:23:54 GMT
In many of the youtube videos, I notice a series of cables running along the walls about 5 or 6 of them. What are these for? The power for the trains? the signals?  |
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Post by superteacher on Sept 3, 2013 19:24:13 GMT
Basically you're right. On most lines, some of them also carry compressed air to work the points and trainstops. There are also cables which carry the signal for the train radio system.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 19:45:27 GMT
Some are tubes for the mice to run safely from station to station in.
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Sept 3, 2013 19:56:55 GMT
I believe also that, particularly on older sections of the line, some are obsolete and presently do nothing.
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rincew1nd
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Post by rincew1nd on Sept 3, 2013 20:20:49 GMT
Some of them also carry magic smoke; if you were to cut one open there would be a very loud bang and lots of smoke.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 3, 2013 20:40:38 GMT
Mice, that's great. They need to be catered for too I suppose..
Okay so compressed air for points.
Interesting.
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Post by domh245 on Sept 3, 2013 20:46:22 GMT
Yep. If you stand at Edgware Road for about 10 minutes during a normal day, you'll hear the points change a number of times, with the hiss and bang of air. Also, in the tube tunnels, you might see the tunnel telephone wires, the 2 uncovered wires, usually at around eye level, and not that far apart.
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Post by railtechnician on Sept 4, 2013 2:48:24 GMT
In many of the youtube videos, I notice a series of cables running along the walls about 5 or 6 of them. What are these for? The power for the trains? the signals? You'd be amazed but the subject is taboo in this place these days which explains the stupid answers. Of course the compressed air is not carried in cables but in G.I. pipe. |
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Post by southfieldschris on Sept 4, 2013 7:04:29 GMT
Why is discussion of cables taboo? Fear of vandalism or terrorism or something like that ?
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hobbayne
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Post by hobbayne on Sept 4, 2013 9:12:42 GMT
Cable theft is a big problem for LUL, A lot of it ends up in Eastern Europe
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Sept 4, 2013 10:09:43 GMT
Cable theft is indeed a problem, but the question is perfectly legitimate, and has been answered well. 
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Chris M
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Post by Chris M on Sept 4, 2013 13:32:46 GMT
Cable thieves don't care what a cable is for. All that matters to them is whether they think they can make money by selling it if they steal it - and what they think something is worth doesn't always match up with what it is actually worth.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 13:40:57 GMT
60 psi in the air main
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2013 13:46:50 GMT
Hello,
Cable thefts occur everywhere. French rail board face the problem either, with a significant part of the delays related to these. On busy lines, they tend to replace traditional cable with optic fiber which cannot be sold as easily (in fact not at all!), but the thieves do not always know the difference and, even if they cannot resell what they have stolen, the damage is still there!
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Post by Chris M on Sept 4, 2013 13:49:21 GMT
It's also worth noting that many cables also run alongside NR tracks (they also need to control signals and points, etc), but rather than hang them on walls and fences NR generally chooses to put them in a trough. The lid of this trough often forms the walking route alongside the track. There was a thread on here years ago about hanging vs burying, but I can't immediately find it. I remember mrfs42 was one of the commenters if that helps anyone find it. |
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Post by domh245 on Sept 4, 2013 15:37:56 GMT
I have noticed that some of the new cable hanging runs along the wimbledon branch are rather empty, often with just a few cables on the lower rung. Could this not be a bit of a waste, especially seeing as there don't appear to be many more cables to be put in.
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Post by Chris M on Sept 4, 2013 15:53:30 GMT
I suspect that the fences come in one size only, and lots of brackets allows for easy future-proofing. In terms of manufacturing cost a taller run is probably only marginally more expensive than one with only a few rungs, and economies of scale possibly make it cheaper than having multiple sizes.
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Post by railtechnician on Sept 5, 2013 11:09:18 GMT
I suspect that the fences come in one size only, and lots of brackets allows for easy future-proofing. In terms of manufacturing cost a taller run is probably only marginally more expensive than one with only a few rungs, and economies of scale possibly make it cheaper than having multiple sizes. CLP team made something of an error when the 1990 resignalling was underway. It got contractors to install the runs and brackets but only to fit bracket shelves 'as required' and promptly paid them off. Later on during the project it was realised that more shelves were required and so many cables ended up being installed in the old post run brackets! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2014 18:16:07 GMT
Bright orange cables are fibre optic telecoms - tend to be ex-Mercury Comms but there are others. They bring £££ into LU...
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