Re: QR Diesel tilt train not very fast?

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <yDJl5.87599$N4.2125504@ozemail.com.au>,
Garry Hoddinett <hoddos@netspace.net.au> wrote:
>
>> Electric tilt train takes 7 hours between Brisbane and Rockhampton
>> which is a 4 hours reduction. 

 The drivers say they can push the ICE sets to near the tilt-train timings as well, its just the curves aint so comfortable any more. :-)


>> Assume diesel tilt train would take
>> similar timing between Rockhampton and Brisbane

 Unlikely. The electric tilt train has a lot of available power, and accellerates 
out of the sharper curves at quite some speed, the diesel version won't have any
where near that power reserve to call on. Its advantage will rest solely on
not needing to slow down as much as the loco hauled trains, thus not needing to
speed up again, but you still have to slow the tilt train on curves, just not
as much.

>>  that means the tilt
>> train would not be accelerate much between Rockhampton and Cairns or
>> not at all. I though tilt train can give 20% reduction on journey
>> time without much improvement to the track,

 Smoke and mirrors. The tilt train avantages are often unrelated to the tiltl
it self, but track improvements and higher rated power....

 There will be a saving north of Rockie greater than you expect, as I don't
think the Diesel tilt train will run the same timinings as the electric one.
For one thing its going to be longer, and hauling around a couple of large
diesel engines.


Railway Rasputin added :-
>
>The latest edition of Railway Digest seems to infer that the Diesel Tilt
>Train will not use its tilting capability in the Townsville - Cairns
>corridor.  This would be one reason why the time saving is less than
>expected.  Does anyone know why the train will not use its tilting capabilty
>in this section?  Too many reverse curves?  I thought the track was being
>upgraded.

 Large amounts of track between Rockhampton and Townsville are being completely
rebuilt. They were just north of Proserpine in early July when I was on Holidays,
the Spirt of the Tropics lost 30 minutes in that section nearly causing us to miss
our ferry to Magnetic Island. We passed several work crews, and a road/rail
transferable track laying machine parked beside the track. At one point we were
crawling past a worksite where the old rails sitting beside the line still had
shiny heads, we were probably the first train on the new rails...

 They were relaying - new concrete sleepers, on fresh balast and new rails, a
complete makeover.
 In all probablity the track north of Townsville will not be upgraded (again :-)
thus the new train will be limited to the same speed as the loco hauled trains,
track condition and level crossing timings setting the limits way below what the
trains them selves are capable of.

 The funniest bit of track to see in Queensland just south of Sarina where the
coal road crosses the North Coast main. Several kilometres of triple track,
with 2 lines on heavy concrete sleepers and overhead wires, with thick masts that
look more like NSW masts than the typical Queensland ones used further south.
 The wooden sleepered, light railed, no ovehead 3rd track is the North coast
mainline....

 I assume the former plan to Electrify to mainline to Townsville and Cairns is
long dead, with modern diesels being cheaper to run, and electricity going
up in price faster than diesel fuel...
 Next they will be building new steamers as Queensland has heaps of coal.... :-)