Re: Goodbye Overland

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <mauried.399.3892B07D@commslab.gov.au> mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly) writes:
>

>Why?
>XPT with 7 cars and two power cars is 7 HP /tonne.
>Worst grade is Goodwood to Mt Lofty Loop,averages 1:45 with some curves 
>reaching 1:40, distance = 16 km. 
>XPT wouldnt  even be in 8th notch going thru the hills as the curves are way 
>too speed limited. (7 HP/tonne up 1:45 = 76 km/h)
>Melb XPT has on a number of occasions had to travel via Wollongong / Moss Vale
>where the climb up the hill from Unanderra to Summit Tank (dist 20 km) is a 
>constant 1:30 with no probs.
>There have also been Dubbo XPTs with 1 power car & 
>4 carriages (6 HP /tonne) climbing the Blue Mtns (1:30 with no problems.)

>The Adelaide Hills would be a snap.
>The problem with an XPT solution is that Countrylink would not provide it 
>unless they were paid by someone,(cant see the NSW Govt funding a rail service 
>for the residents of Vic and SA) and I cant see the Vic and SA Govts funding 
>an XPT service.
>An XPT service however , if it could be run by anyone , would have a 
>chance,especially if it were allowed decent speeds , like 160 km/h from Ararat 
>to Tailem Bend.
>It doesnt have to be an XPT service , just has to be fast enuf to get the 
>infrastructure utilization up a bit.,ie a return trip by the train per 
>day.
>Even something like SG sprinters or Explorers would do,7 cars on Fridays 
>and Weekends and less during the week.


>MD



Slight typo above ,was reading a really old map.
The distances are in miles not km.
Goodwood to Mt Lofty is 16.36 miles ( 25 km ).
Doesnt really alter anything,but better to have the right numbers

MD