Karl Rapson
Profile of a Railway Man
(Retired)
A Career Spanning 50 Years 1*
This web site is a fairly lengthy read but rather interesting particularly the History Page.
Interesting because it reads like a story. A story of a Railway Man who never finished school,
has no formal tertiary qualification, survived the harshness of the 70s, the dreaded
"Jobs for Mates" of the 80s, the drastic changes in the 90s, the corporate betrayal in the early part of the new
Millennium and survived the antics in the waiting room of the "Departure Lounge"
(lead up to Retirement).
Karl like so many other railwaymen, the railway was a way of life........
As it was for the 3 Generations before him.
As it was for the 3 Generations before him.
A Tour of Duty
January 12th 1970 Karl commenced working with the Victorian Railways at its printing works in North Melbourne as a Junior Clerk .
May 1970 transferred to Burwood Station as Station Assistant.
August 1970 trained as a Signalman then October same year Signal Assistant McKinnon.
November 1970 transferred to Oakleigh "A" Signalbox as Signalman class 4.April 1972 Transferred to Dimboola Signalman Class 3.
September 1972 Signalman Class 1 Caulfield.
October 1973 Signalman Special Class Flinders Street "B" Signalbox.
December 1974 successfully attained the qualification of "Block and Signal Inspector".
January 1975 Signalman Special Class Flinders Street "D" Signalbox (Princes Bridge).
July 1975 Acting Block and Signal Inspector Metro Superintendents office (Flinders Street)
June 1976 Block and Signal Inspector Western District - Ballarat. Supervising the lines and Safeworking locations
between Sunshine to Ballarat and Ararat and branches. Ballarat to Maryborough to Mildura and Yelta and branchesJune 1981 Transferred to METROL Batman Avenue Melbourne work to introduce signalling for the Underground Rail Loop
May 1983 Dimboola as Depot Manager - Managing Train Crews and signalling - introduction of the CTC system of signalling between Dimboola and SA Border.
November 1984 Ararat - Depot Manager - Industrial Turmoil"
1985 Ararat - no gazetted position worked on special duties for projects in the Western Region - Introduced "Two Man Crewing
1986 - 1988 Appointed to Operations Officer North West District based in Ararat covering the depots at Hamilton, Portland, Mt Gambier, Horsham, Murtoa, Dimboola and Warrackneabeal.
July 1987 - Purchased Historic Residence in Ararat - Decided to make Ararat his permanent family home
and work anywhere in Victoria1989 - Melbourne Head Office - Driver Only Project.
1991 - Returned to Ararat - Operational and Safeworking Officer and remaining duties of Operations Officer (several depots closed)
1992 to 1995 Western District - Operations and Safeworking Officer - Metro boundary to Warnambool, Serviceston, Mildura/Yelta, Robinvale and Kulwin (Half the state of Victoria)
December 18th 1995 Accepted Voluntary Separation Package End of a Railway Career (at that time)
(Reason was to spend time with his Family. As can be seen from the previous posting, most of his time would have been spent away from home & the History Page will explain in more Detail).1996 - House Dad and House Husband between odd jobs with railway contractors - also started A9 Software Company but never made a career of it.
1997 - 1998 Signalman Prynees Loop and Maroona - close to his family and home every night.
Late 1998 Sets up Labour Hire Company "Q Line Grid"
January 1999 - Provides Labour Hire, Safeworking Support and Operational Management to the re-sleepering project Maroona - Pura Pura.
2000 - 2002 - Rail Re-Vitalisation Project Wodonga to Wolseley (South Australia) - Providing Safeworking and Operations Support and Management.
2001 - 2003 Track Welding and Track Maintenance - State Wide (Victoria).
2003 - Bairnsdale - Providing Safeworking and Operations Support and Management for the return of Passenger Services - Sale to Bairnsdale.
2003 to 2005 - Freight Australia - Safeworking and Signalling Support together with training and implementation of the Regional Fast Rail Project. Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Traralgon.
2005 to 2007 - Pacific National "Manager Network Signalling" responsible for all Regional Signalling Track Access and incident response management.
2007 to 2016 V/line - Manager Network Signalling.The intervening period included Signaller and Train Controller Training, Assessments, re-assessments support access for the Regional Rail Link Project, train Train Controllers and implement RRL Signalling.
December 2016 - Ceased work as Manager Network Signalling and worked part-time (3 days a week) on GrainCo's Re-Gen Project. Providing Signalling and Operational Management support.
December 6th 2019 - Contract with V/Line ceased (this was also the day that marked 50 years since immigrating to Australia) Retired from Main Stream Rail Work and re-instated Qline Grid Pty. Ltd.
January 12th 2020 -
50 Years Service to the Rail Industry in Australia and continuing............MaybeJanuary 20th 2020
Devoting his retirement time for the remainder of 2020 to Volunteer in the "post bush fire" recovery process in his treasured holiday destination Mallacoota That was devastated by a bush fire on New Years Eve 2019
Unfortunately, COVID-19 put a stop to that activity and on the 28th of March that same year, Karl had to leave Mallacoota and return Home for the lock-down.
But all was not lost, during the Lock-Down He designed, developed, donated and is hosting (Free) MallacootaFundraisingGroup.com.au
The Future is to work Voluntarily for Conservation & The Environment (Post COVID Restrictions).
End of Text - January 2021
Karl's Railway Profile
Karl is a very active and innovative person, he is an inquisitive learner so much so he has
taught himself to screen print, design web pages, build web servers, program with PHP
and create useful and active data bases.
He build this website from scratch and the server delivering it
During his time on the railway, he qualified in all of the Victorian Railway Signalling Systems, attained the qualification of Operational Safeworking Officer,
(Block and Signal Inspector) in 1974.
Karl has trained and/or assessed over 2,000 Railway Employees in Train Operations and Signalling. Managed large depots and all
Railway Operating grades which included Train Control, Signallers, Train Guards, Shunters, Locomotive Crews, Office Clerical Staff
and Track Maintenance Gangs.
In the period 1981 to 1983 Karl was instrumental in developing training and the implementation of the Melbourne Underground
Rail Loop Signalling and Operational Processes (Which was to be his "Magnum Opus"
Karl has very fond memories of People and Places,
and will always be grateful for the Railway Career that was offered him - and to the many people that helped him on that
long Journey.
He will forever be a "Railwayman".
He will forever be a "Railwayman".
Notice Board
Send Karl a Message
Send Karl a Message
A beautiful quote from the Last Paragraph of a Wonderful Novel
“.....and here my story ends. My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my old friends under the apple trees.”
1* 50 Years service to the Rail Industry on 12/01/2020 - Commenced 12/01/1970
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