Re: Steam design challenge 2000

[billboltonREMOVE-TO-EMAIL@computer.org (Bill Bolton)]

"Kevin Sewell" <kevinsewell@optusnet.com.au> wrote:

> ? Assume high quality maintenance in a quality servicing centre and a ready
> supply of parts.
> ? Assume current mainline gradients and speed restrictions can only be
> improved by 5% (and not more than XPT permissible speeds).
> ? Assume maximum possible convenience for crew and servicing staff.
> ? Assume current NSW loading gauge can only be improved by 5%
> ? Assume able to haul passenger trains of 500 tonnes on Sydney - Melb or
> Syd - Bris routes.
> ? Assume carriages will perform to same standard as loco. You may also want
> to spec carriages. In many cases around the world the carriages and loco
> were a matched set (e.g SOP, Coronation Scot, SP Daylights)
> ? Assume current comparability between cost of coal and fuel oil. Ignore
> acquisition/delivery costs.

Assume its a waste of time.

> I believe its a cop-out to say "just go with diesel". Experience on other
> railways in the world indicated (particularly in the earlier days of diesel)
> that good steam design made dieselisation marginal. What can this learned
> forum come up with?

For start, we are no longer in the "early days of diesel", let alone
in world where railway operations have anything much in common to
those of 50 years ago.  So whatever research was done then is hardly
likely to have any relevance to today's railway operations. 

Cheers,

Bill