Re: Countrylink Griffith - Broken Hill

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"James C." <james_ccj@my-deja.com> wrote in message
8d4kvo$egg$1@nnrp1.deja.com">news:8d4kvo$egg$1@nnrp1.deja.com...

> > Following a detailed assesment of the Outback's 50 year old
> carriages, it is
> > clear they require a major upgrade to meet the comfort requirements
> of staff and
> > passengers.

> But the tinetabling and frequency of the train is still a
> disastor...even with new rolling stock it wouldn't help much...

With the new rolling stock, they could increase freuqency. Perhaps two
through services a week from Sydney? Tuesday and Saturday night departures,
giving an arrival early Wednesday and Sunday afternoons, returning late
Thursday and Monday mornings to arrive early on Friday and Tuesday mornings.
This would give services departing Sydney on Monday (IP), Tuesday (Outback
Express), Thursday (IP), Saturday (OE) and Sunday (Ghan). Departures from
Broken Hill would be Monday (OE), Wednesday (IP), Thursday (OE), Saturday
(Ghan) and Sunday (IP).

> > The use of XPLORER carriages on the Griffith services will be a
> significant
> > improvement, offering modern and comfortable facilities.
> How much time would be save by using explorer instead of loco haul?

I would imagine that from Sydney to Junee, the Xplorer would have similiar
operating times to an XPT, since the speed limit is always less than the
140km/h limit of the Xplorer, and the governing factor determining speeds is
curves and gradients. On this sector, it would be about an hour quicker.
Junee to Griffith would still be affected by the safeworking requirements,
so not much time would be saved there.

Dave