As Kudalai said, it certainly did fall off and drag along under the train leaking fuel as it went.

No V/Line services are scheduled to stop at Spotswood.  

Ironic isn't it?  The loco in question is on the Geelong line, and is the "City of Geelong " loco...media must have loved the "perfect shot" opportunity.

In other disruptions today, I got a text message this morning that there was a point failure at Southern Cross resulting in delays sometime before 0730.

In other disruptions today, I got a text message this morning that there was a point failure at Southern Cross resulting in delays sometime before 0730.

Hmm, didn't affect the 0717 South Geelong up service too badly, must have been fixed by then.

I wonder what they do with the coaches, do they run them back to Melbourne tonight? Gotta feel sorry for some of the coach drivers, might be a fair hike to Geelong early tomorrow for them, or would they use Geelong-based coaches/drivers?

The 1809 down Geelong was delayed by 8 or so minutes because someone forgot to pump out the toilet before departure time.

Was that VN18 by any chance wongm?

The 1809 down Geelong was delayed by 8 or so minutes because someone forgot to pump out the toilet before departure time. The truck didn't turn up until a few minutes before departure time, which didn't help matters. Why they just didn't consider locking the affected loo off and worry about it Monday morning when it returns from stabling I don't know.

The 1936 down South Geelong got cancelled tonight and replaced by buses - I am assuming V/Line is short of crew hours for the weekend football specials and had to cancel commuter train again...

The 1809 down Geelong was delayed by 8 or so minutes because someone forgot to pump out the toilet before departure time. The truck didn't turn up until a few minutes before departure time, which didn't help matters. Why they just didn't consider locking the affected loo off and worry about it Monday morning when it returns from stabling I don't know.

The 1936 down South Geelong got cancelled tonight and replaced by buses - I am assuming V/Line is short of crew hours for the weekend football specials and had to cancel commuter train again...

Only if you walk on the rail track and tend to touch the rails etc. Otherwise no more risk of sickness than a normal toilet. Just wash your hand after use.

Only if you walk on the rail track and tend to touch the rails etc. Otherwise no more risk of sickness than a normal toilet. Just wash your hand after use.

Do you think the people who live near the rail lines want them lined with waste?

This is why "Drop to the track" toilets are useful. They never get blocked or full as the waste goes to the rail track for "nature" to take care of.

Is it prohibited to drop the waste in suburban areas, or is it not dropped at all and pumped out somewhere else?

N464 has suffered a fuel spill at Spotswood station. THe tank has been ruptered and crews are working to rectify the problem.

I have just heard on channel 9 news that the fuel tank has apparently "fallen off".

Public Transport Safety Victoria (PTSV) was notified of an incident on 11 May 2009 in which one end of the fuel tank of an N
Class Locomotive hauling a Geelong-bound passenger train fell away from the underframe. Thirty litres of diesel oil spilled
from the tank onto the track.

Inspection by PTSV of the underframe and fuel tank of the locomotive involved in this incident showed that all six of the
mounting bolts used to secure the fuel tank at one end had fallen out, allowing this end of the fuel tank to fall away from the
underframe. Subsequent inspection of the N Class Locomotive fleet has found loose bolts and cracking on other vehicles.

Is the line clear there?  Reports from family property at Tallarook suggested extensive inundation.