Re: ? for Trainman re SL15/16 last weekend - Was: G7 up to 160 km/h

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

In article <38A165CE.899D0F95@ozemail.com.au> David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au> writes:
>Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 00:04:14 +1100
>From: David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au>
>Subject: Re: ? for Trainman re SL15/16 last weekend - Was: G7 up to 160 km/h

>Eric Cartman wrote:

>> David
>>
>> How did your trip on SL15/16 go? Did it go to Junee station or via the
>> loop?

>Well, about 5 minutes out, the PSS announced that the train would be arriving at
>Junee soon, and would all passengers alight to allow seats to be turned.  The
>PSS then walked though and started turning all the seats.  A few minutes later,
>the driver radioed the PSS and informed him that the train would be going via
>the triangle.  He then had to go and turn all the seats back again!  On the
>return, we arrived at Cootamundra about 20 minutes early due to running via the
>north leg.

>--
>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.


On average,how many cars does the griffith pass have.?
The most I have ever seen is 3 , 2 cars + powervan.
This train must rate as one of the greatest loss makers that Countrylink run.
A 2000 HP loco to haul at the most 150 tonnes, (13 HP/tonne) .
Also , why is it necessary for the train to run all the way from Sydney.?
Since it follows the XPT on the down and preceedes it on the up surely it 
would make far more sense to simply run the train from Junee to Griffith and 
back with a connection with the XPT in both directions.
Obviously the argument here is that we have to get the loco to Junee somehow.
Obvious answer is simply to sub contract Austrac or even Freight Victoria to 
provide a loco from Junee to Griffith and back again.
Even a Freightcorp 48 would be  OK.
Much cheaper and more logical  than running a 422 all the way to Junee and 
back.
Of course logic wont come into it .

MD