197803 – McNamara – Melbourne – City of Level Crossings: Special Design Features Used in Level Crossing Protection

The Melbourne suburban electric traction system spreads out from the central business area in a grid of radiating lines extending over 350 route kilometres. Some seventy percent of this route is power signalled with the remainder double line block or single line staff working. These lines are crossed by 169 level crossings with the average crossing having over 100 trains per day. Stations are spaced at from 900 to 1500 metres intervals and influence the type of controls to be provided.

Protection provided at the suburban level crossings are:-
Hand Operated Gates: 20 No.
Interlocked Gates: 20 No.
Boom Barriers: 79 No.
Flashing Lights: 50 No.

Hand and Interlocked gates from a peak total of 112 No. in 1954, are being converted to Boom Barrier operation to effect economy in staffing, and also to allow for road widening for improved road traffic flow. A program is also in course for provision of automatic boom barriers at ten of the listed flashing lights to provide improved protection levels.

On the Melbourne Suburban System there ore few simple boom barrier installations due to close proximity of stations and the control requirements for express and stopping trains. Victoria has recently adopted the METCON system of road control with priority of travel for major arterial roads, requiring signalization of many road intersections in close proximity of railway level crossings. Consequently Co-ordination of these signals with operation of crossing protection is necessary to ensure clearing of any road vehicles held in a traffic queue across the railway line.

The standard level crossing control signalling used in Victoria has been covered by Mr. D. McCauley in his 1967 I.R.S.E. publication. Further developments in design features since that date and some simplified design circuitry associated with these, features are set out in this paper.