LoS between a balloon and a.....train?!?

[KRviator]

Early on the morning of 11 November 2015, a Watco freight train, 4K26, was travelling southbound on the Frenches to East Northam rail line in Western Australia. The train was travelling at about 60 km/hr along a section of track as it approached a left corner, approximately 3 km north of Northam (Figure 1). As the train rounded the corner, the driver saw a hot air balloon in close proximity to the rail tracks. The driver observed that the balloon was low to the ground and inside the rail corridor,1 to the left side of the track I never thought I'd see the day we had a breakdown of separation between an aircraft and a train. Certainly not since Ansett took on a freight train at Sydney airport in years gone by. They lost that one, by the way...

The pilot crossed the rail line from the south-west to the north-east at a height of approximately 50–60 ft, and then descended to around fence top height.
The CCTV from the loco would suggest otherwise. He's well below powerline height when only just clear of the track.


If you're going to play chicken with a train, I get two weeks off if I run someone over. Fill ya boots! Gives me more time to fly the RV! :E


The report (https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5769971/ao-2015-136-final.pdf).

[Stationair8]

Did the balloon pilot get a "Train, Train, Train" alert.

[Arm out the window]

"Requirement to maintain train clearance visually ...."

Thomas was very upset!

[airwolf117]

Stationair8... that's the comment of my year! Lost my **** :D :D:D

[Stanwell]

A WA train doing 60kph approaching a corner?
I'd be hitting the burner pretty hard whether I was close to the tracks or not.

[allthecoolnamesarego]

What frequently was the train driver listening out on, area freq or CTAF..
Dick, any ideas?:p

[Acrosport II]

Yes, They will have to reprogram the software
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train......Pull Up.....
'Whoop Whoop....Too Low.....Train..... Pull Up.....


Quote



• They were unable to discern the direction of travel of the balloon.


Really,...Cant they tell the difference between the front and the back of a Hot Air Balloon?

[onetrack]

I notice nothing was mentioned about the balloon basket needing an exceptionally good cleaning afterwards, to remove all the brown stains!! :eek:

I'll wager the smell wasn't much better in the loco cab, either! :)

Those NR class locos can do 115kmh, and they can come out of nowhere, FAST! - although I think that section of track has a lower speed limit.

One thing I didn't notice mentioned was the double-stacked shipping containers on the train, that are considerably higher than any part of the locos.

Catching your balloon envelope on the top corner of a shipping container doing 115kmh, could provide more than a few of the normal balloon control problems!! :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDUP-bxhLVs

[Squawk7700]

Some years ago a powered parachute was allegedly flying low near a train in the US when it was sucked into the train and the occupant fatally injured in the impact.

I'd imagine there would be quite a "wash" from the train.

[Kwod]

Did the balloon pilot get a "Train, Train, Train" alert.
Brilliant! Just brilliant STATIONair8!

[Propjet88]

Had there been an accident, would it have been classified as
'Controlled flight into train'?

[KRviator]

Personally, I think the pilot just needs a little more training... :O