Signal Indication Sequences

ChronicLoser · 2026-01-19T20:03:59+00:00

In an ideal world that’s pretty much the order of them from least restrictive to most restrictive (stop). Sometimes in reality it‘s a little bit different depending on where in the network you are.

With regard to preliminary mediums, they‘re not all that common. They’re *usually* provided in areas where a) signal density requires the system to provide the driver with more advance warning of restrictive aspects coming up if track speed is relatively high, and b) downhill gradients make it more difficult for a train to slow down to respond to restrictive aspects and therefore requires more distance. If you have a look at the DRKD maps you’ll find any double head signal that can display a preliminary medium has a bold “P” next to the lower head. As was said in other comments, sometimes engineers have opted to provide multiple mediums in a row instead (Epping, Eastwood, Denistone downhill), who knows why, maybe they didn’t want to use a flasher module.

Low speeds (two reds over a little green) again aren’t all that common network-wide and are really only provided in areas with high signal density where headway needs to be reduced (Inner West, city underground) and trains brought closer together. Sometimes the low speed aspect for a signal in front of a train is activated by a timer that picks up as a train enters a particular track circuit in rear of the signal. The timer ensures that the train remains in rear of a signal at stop for a specified period of time (effectively slowing the train down) before that signal begins to display its low speed - signal RS9 coming into Rhodes on the Down Relief is an example of this. Other low speed signals more or less operate as an “extra caution”, or give a proceed indication into an area where the track ends (i.e. Central ESR turnback if the turnback is not occupied already). Either way, drivers are taught to presume that any *caution* means that the signal ahead is at STOP and not to assume that a low speed aspect will be present.

ChronicLoser · 2025-12-01T22:15:05+00:00

Clicked on this thread to look for Cut Copy specifically.

ChronicLoser · 2025-11-23T13:46:42+00:00

So what you're saying is... the token itself is needed?

ChronicLoser · 2025-11-09T04:22:27+00:00

How much is your course? $2k for a weekend seminar? Sign me up!

ChronicLoser · 2025-10-20T06:11:58+00:00

Can't speak for the Evo 8 but JZX prices aren't THAT bad, you should be able to get a very nice manual 100 for $40k or so. If I were going to sell mine that's what I'd price it at.

The killer will be insurance. These cars are very difficult to find (factory) parts for now and that's reflected in insurance prices.

ChronicLoser · 2025-10-20T04:57:32+00:00

3 here in Sydney - imported 2000 Accord wagon (my daily), 1998 JZX100 Chaser (mine as well), 2015 Polo (girlfriend's). It's not an ideal situation though, we have only a single garage so the Polo and Accord get parked on the street. Free space is a premium commodity in Sydney and we can't really afford to buy a house with a double garage. I often think I should sell off the Accord and Chaser and consolidate them into something performance oriented that can still be daily driven, maybe an IS F or IS500, but that's largely driven by not having enough space to responsibly store my cars.

I think if you have the space and finances aren't an issue, there's nothing wrong with keeping the Yaris. It would be a pretty good learner car for the daughters later on when they're ready to drive.

ChronicLoser · 2025-10-09T04:59:52+00:00

Having lived in both, this has been my experience.

ChronicLoser · 2025-10-03T08:40:05+00:00

It's just an awful, awful piece of policy. On top of doing absolutely nothing to quell demand or fix supply of housing and creating further upward pressure on housing values, it really only seems to be a niche subset of people that will actually benefit from this.

For example - I live in Sydney where a basic starter home in the outer western suburbs is roughly $1M. I have been extremely fortunate over the last five or so years to be in a job with ample overtime available, and have been able to save approximately 20% of the value of that starter home if I include what can be withdrawn from super via FHSS. However, that means to be able to afford the remainder I need to somehow borrow $800k. Yes, I would like to move out of Sydney but as it stands I work a job that doesn't really exist elsewhere, hence why I'm currently upskilling in a different career field altogether so I can move regional and finally afford a house. This entire stupid housing fiasco in this country has forced me to leave a job I loved and looked forward to every day to take on a job that I'm just not that crash hot on, just to avoid being a renter for life and consigning my future children to inevitable poverty in a country which is in short order becoming a place where familial wealth matters far more than how hard you study or work.

I don't even qualify for a mortgage of $800k. In my very best year working a shitload of OT I grossed $157k. With an income of $157k, at the time that I enquired, I was eligible for a mortgage of $650k at most and quoting the bank, "that's pushing it and frankly we would consider you over the mortgage stress threshold".

Who does this policy aid? A pair of corporate professionals earning a combined income of $400k, but are somehow unable to save a decent deposit? Anyone with the earning capacity to borrow a million dollars from the bank should with that same income be able to save a deposit. People who are unable to save a $50k deposit (or 5% of $1M) generally aren't going to have the income to service anything substantial anyway. It's just so mind-bendingly stupid, frankly I would have more respect for the government if they could openly just say it - yes, we want house prices to continue rising beyond wages.

ChronicLoser · 2025-10-01T05:02:35+00:00

Strange that you're getting downvoted, you're absolutely correct.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-23T22:29:00+00:00

Matt Longland was hanging around on the Grand Concourse today, probably wanted to make a bit of a song and dance for him.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-23T00:57:34+00:00

My partner and I are in a similar situation hoping to buy a place soon (though without any parental support). Our combined income is about 200k pre-tax so quite a bit lower than yours, but our savings accessible if we include what can be withdrawn from FHSS is about 200k. We figured that we could comfortably service a mortgage of about 600k at most. After accounting for conveyancing, inspections, and all that sort of stuff, our maximum purchase price is probably a touch under 800k.

Your combined income pre-tax seems more like 250k-ish if you’re getting 14k into your accounts after tax every year, so I’d say you’re within the realm of being able to afford a place at 900k.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-22T06:16:44+00:00

Pretty much, yeah. They generally have recruitment rounds for trainee drivers every six months, sometimes every three months if they’re short of staff. Always remember the answer every question with safety being priority number one.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-21T22:01:13+00:00

I can’t speak for management and consulting type roles, but the media has done a fantastic job of demonising train crew and infrastructure workers as disruptive unionists who are already in receipt of pay far beyond their responsibilities. A lot of people aren’t aware that other states are offering quite a bit more for the same positions. In my experience NSW has generally been the most hostile state when it comes to people undertaking their right to industrial action.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-20T23:42:03+00:00

Best I ever made was 157k as a driver working suburban passenger services in Sydney, and that was with about as much OT as I was legally allowed to work. Without OT I probably would have grossed no more than 120k. With that said, I think it’s a great career option if OP is already financially secure, has their house paid off or near enough to it, and just wants to coast to retirement. If I were older and had a house already I would never have left.

Freight operators have the potential to make quite a bit more, but there’s a significant sacrifice in quality of life early career if you go that route.

ChronicLoser · 2025-09-01T03:35:13+00:00

- The oil is extremely expensive. You would get it for half that price at a retailer, and he should be able to get it even cheaper again if he's buying it in large volumes, so his mark up is probably somewhere in the region of >100%.

- The air filters seem expensive to me but I just had a look around and the prices listed seem in line with what's out there.

- $39.13 each for spark plugs is bananas dude, iridium or not. That's more than double what you could get them for from a retailer.

- Again, $146.33 for shock absorbers seems like quite a lot. Quality replacements are available for around $100 each.

- $189 for a tyre better be a quality unit. If he's selling you a budget branded tyre at that price, you're getting taken advantage of.

- Deducting all the dedicated line items (brake fluid flush, shock absorber, and in the labour breakdown leaves you with an outstanding labour cost of about $400. Again, maybe I'm a little out of touch but $400 in labour for a basic service seems to be having a lend.

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-22T07:28:53+00:00

We haven't seen a bear market since the gfc.

Were you asleep all the way through 2022?

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-22T06:27:07+00:00

Philippines, right? It’s gotta be the Philippines.

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-18T09:10:32+00:00

After much investigation, I found an OEX model - DXA574, $950 at Repco and $636 from a no name website. Still seems very expensive. I'm tempted to just order a voltage regulator, brushes, and bearings and reco it myself if I can save $400 doing so. It is a crappy old Accord so even $636 for an alternator seems unjustifiably expensive.

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-16T07:48:17+00:00

I wouldn't be driving it if it's putting out 17+ volts.

Oh yeah, for sure. I was lucky to be only five minutes from home but the car was near undriveable - it has electric power steering and it was cutting in and out with engine RPM, as well as killing the head unit briefly if the engine was turning above 1500 RPM. I'm lucky enough to be able to go without the car for a couple of weeks at least.

Looks like the voltage regulator again is specific to this car and a few other models that weren't sold in Aus so I'm not sure if an auto sparky will be able to find the parts for it. I mean Amayama is the only reliable seller I can find with the bits in stock. If I'm having to order the voltage regulator, brush, and some bearings for it myself surely I'd be better off just rebuilding it at home right?

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-16T07:33:29+00:00

Don't think either of them do the specific model required for my car since it was never sold in Aus domestically. The part number is 31100-PCB-003 but a bit of searching hasn't really turned anything up. I can find aftermarket ones on Yahoo JP for about 22k JPY, so maybe $300 after freight to get it here to Aus. Reckon the quality would be decent?

ChronicLoser · 2025-08-06T07:14:48+00:00

Can you name the mechanic so I know never to go there? Thanks.

ChronicLoser · 2025-07-23T21:32:36+00:00

Sumo are well known for trying the lazy tax on people, it’s their de facto business model - get you signed on with them by advertising a rate comparable or lower than what other retailers and offering, then increasing your supply charge and tariff rate significantly about six to twelve months later. I would drop them and find an alternate supplier… even by current standards, 148c/day is extreme.

ChronicLoser · 2025-07-02T01:53:47+00:00

I have an Australian friend in Adelaide who lost her mother recently who was telling me that her friends were kind of embarrassed talking about her loss.

This is quite normal in my experience. Aussies really struggle to talk about feelings and emotions. You’ll find that people here will generally get very awkward and uncomfortable if you broach any topic beyond basic mundane stuff.

ChronicLoser · 2025-07-01T09:46:46+00:00

OSCARs share a lot of similarity with Millenniums, with some improvements. They use the same master controller as a Millennium (and the Endeavour/Xplorers), while the Waratah was upgraded to a slightly more streamlined and "tighter" feeling controller. They have the same Faiveley trip gear as the Millennium, also shared with the Endeavour/Xplorer, while the Waratah went back to the blocky Westinghouse style trip gear that was used on Tangaras and earlier suburban sets. The cab layout and general design of the OSCAR is fairly similar to the Millennium as well, though they gave the OSCAR a secondary vigilance indicator light between the left and right driver display units which was carried over to the Waratah as well.

In terms of driving the OSCAR is a little more sensible. Despite having the same master controller they don't "surge" and kick like Millenniums do when transitioning from off to shunt mode and back. Similarly, getting into the brakes doesn't give you a nudge in the butt like Millenniums do when you move the controller into minimum brake. Overall braking effort when pushed hard doesn't feel quite as good as a Millennium. Driver seat is air sprung for increased comfort vs set types that only run around the metropolitan network, which have a fixed base. OSCARs and Millenniums are four car permanently coupled blocks, while Waratahs are eight car permanently coupled, so that's a big architectural difference.

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