Re: Fate of 85/86 class

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

In article <389C4065.629@start.com.au> Dion Williams <onamission@start.com.au> writes:
>From: Dion Williams <onamission@start.com.au>
>Subject: Re: Fate of 85/86 class
>Date: Sun, 06 Feb 2000 02:23:17 +1100

>John McCandless wrote:

>> Also, the overhead lines restrict any expansion of the loading gauge.
>> Double-stack containers and the like.  

>Not sure how that would affect whether electric locos are used or not,
>given that the suburban and interurban fleet need the same network and
>reconfiguring them would be hugely expensive. The fuel must be cheap
>indeed if say three NRs working a freight over the Blue Mountains is
>cheaper than two more powerful 86s.

>Dion


Err,little confusion here , the 85 / 86s are nowhere near as powerful as an NR 
or indeed an 81.
Please dont confuse as a lot of people do horsepower with pulling power.
Horsepower is simply a measure of the power output of the main prime 
mover with a small reduction due to the non perfect efficiency of 
the rectifiers and traction motors .
The pulling power is determined solely by the gearing ratios of the traction 
motors and by their design , ie the amount of iron in the motor, the guages of 
copper in the armature and the field coil current.
Pulling power is measured usually in either Kn (kilo newtons or Lbs).

here are a couple of examples.(these are continous ratings)
81 class 75730 lbs at 19 km/h.
85 class 49910 lbs at 45 km/h.
86 class 49887 lbs at 45 km/h.

Railpages loco info has tractive effort figures for most Aus locos and its a 
very useful source of info.
One of the more interesting bits of info on loco page is the fact that for 22 
tonne axle load locos ,the most powerful loco (ie most pulling power) is the
SRA 82 class.

MD