Re: G7 up to 160 km/h

["Chris Downs" <cvdowns@ozemail.com.au>]

The September 1988 timetable introduced hourly fast trains between Sydney
and Newcastle that were timed at 2hr 19m on the up and 2h 17m on the down.
>From memory the stopping pattern was:
Strathfield
Hornsby
Woy Woy
Gosford
Wyong
Fassifern
Broadmeadow
Hamilton
Civic (can't remember but I think not)
Newcastle.

The equivalent expresses in the current timetable are timed at 2hr 32m on
the up and 2h 30m on the down.  They stop at the following additional
stations:
Epping
Tuggerah
Wyee
Cardiff
Civic
I would think that the extra "running time" added because of these stops is
7minutes (1m for each of Epping, Cardiff and Civic & 2m for Tuggerah and
Wyee).  Therefore a train from '88 would have the following running times up
= 2h 26m and down = 2h 24m making the current timetable 6m slower.  The
extra minutes were recovery time.

Any respectable V-set could maintain the '88 'table (as could a u-boat
dutifully whipped and beaten) but they had to be driven hardish on some
sections to keep time.

In essence the 6' each way could be lopped of the current 'table with little
deterioration in timekeeping I suspect.  To make a more meaningful reduction
in running time however either some of the 14 stations that the "expresses"
stop at have to be chopped, or ideally, a major realignment or at least
curvature easing needs to occur.

Even if the "cheaper" curvature easings and deviations between Warnervale
and Teralba could be undertaken to provide a 160km/h speed limit (even if
only 130km/h is really usable by V-sets) this would be a improvement.  They
could start by easing that shitty 400m radius curve about 3km south of
Morisset - such a spoiler on the race track to Wyee.

Chris

David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
389A6E68.A0155992@ozemail.com.au">news:389A6E68.A0155992@ozemail.com.au...
> "C. Dewick" wrote:
>
> > "Bill McNiven" <wmcniven@gunzel.ozemail.com.au> writes:
> >
> > >David Johnson wrote in message <38980B6B.62738163@ozemail.com.au>...
> > >>On Tuesday Feb 15, G7 will depart Sydney at 0842 for an XPT speed test
to
> > >>Newcastle for a 2'27"
> > >>run.  On the up it will stop at Hamilton, Broadmeadow, Cardiff,
Fassifern,
> > >>Morisset, Hornsby and Strathfield for a 2'16" run.
> >
> > >1    Does "G7" mean the Outer Suburban Tangara set with that number?
> >
> > It's G-set number 7, and the probably reason it's being used for the
speed
> > trial is that it's the prototype AC-traction set.
>
> Yes.  They are re-programming the EEPROMs to achieve higher acceleration
and a
> greater top speed.  G7 is the only set that this can easily be done to.
>
> > >2    Doesn't look like XPT speed ... more like 36/38 class speeds
> >
> > XPT's are rated to run at a maximum of 160 kp/h, which is equivalent to
100
> > mph, which itself just happened to be what the old Newcastle Flyer could
> > achieve with a 38 class hauling the train.
>
> The latest word is that the train should not exceed 140 km/h.  This is up
to MECH
> branch who will issue a ROVA MECH for the move.
>
> > >3    And why is it happening?  Technical curiosity?  G sets to replace
V
> > >sets?  New train design?
> >
> > More evaluation of the AC-traction equipment I presume, perhaps due to a
> > desire to use it on the new trains when they are built.
>
> Apparently CityRail want to make the trip to Newcastle faster....
>
> --
> David Johnson
> trainman@ozemail.com.au
> http://www.ozemail.com.au/~trainman/
> ------------------------------------
> These comments are made in a private
> capacity and do not represent the
> official view of State Rail.
> C.O.W.S. Page 11.
>
>