Re: fast trains

["Rod" <freight_man@hotmail.com>]

--
> I'm not sure of the exact terrain, the line just needs to be made more
> like the bendigo one. The general principle for the bendigo one was
> when you come to a hill, you go either over it or through it.

The Bendigo line has some serious curves and is mostly up hill, or so it
seems when you are on a Y Class with 149 tonnes behind
 [grins... 8-) ] But the Bacchus Marsh to Ballan section needs to climb
several hundred meters whilst traversing an old glacier formed river valley
some 16 kms wide! If you continue straight ahead after leaving Parwan Loop
you would be able to cross this valley at a narrow section, but the bridge
would be thgree times higher than Moorobool  and a dozen times longer. The
rest iof the track avoids
two small mountains and a Resevoir...No I dont think it is practical at
all.....

> > >the new railcars already paid for
> > Paid for?? Who paid for them??
>
> the victorian taxpayer did, through the privatisation contracts.

My interpretation is that the Government pays a subsidy to Freight Australia
for Track maintenance to offset the cost of maintaining some tracks to 115
kph standards. And that National have agreed to provide  $1 billion+ worth
of Trains, and generate a specific increase in Patronage for a fixed period
of time! The Government did not purchase anything...nor did they sell
anything, they just leased the system out for a few years, and at the end
can take it back if they so desire... am I not right?

> With careful scheduling it should be possible to gain some time - for
> example, don't schedule goods trains so that country trains get stuck
> behind them!
Better put armed guards on each door of your average spark, to prevent
passengers from delaying your trains too...as all Country trains do have a
slot designed to bring them into Melbourne at Track speed, but it just does
not happen, ever! Make up time is always allowed for and almost always used
to allow on time running.

Which sets off my bulls*** detector, I'm afraid. I thought it was 80 -
> and why? because brake blocks might fall between the tracks?
>
6 1/2" is a pretty small gap! and suffice to say, that our experience here
in Victoria has produced this regulation, we must err on the side of the old
rule 2 "Safety of the Public"and it is our prime concern, and their are no
ifs or butts. I do not wish to say anything more about the mechanics of
this, as their ARE a lot of 'sicko's' out there
Vaughan, I am not being a smart arse, debunking you on every question, but
things are not as easy as chalk and cheese. Rail Transport Companies  have
the Coroner leaning heavy ,all the time. When he comes down on us it affects
the whole Industry. If the Coroner finds that Signal proceedures in NSW are
criminaly unreliable, it would cause every train in NSW to be stopped
instantly, untill a new system was agreed to by the Coroner, and in
opperation! Our main opposition, Road Transport, share the load. That is
when a Truckie gets caught, they throw the book at  him, but like an ants
nest, the rest of them just keep on rolling as if nothing happened at all

Rod Young
http://hobsonmodelrail.rrdepot.com/
Foundation President and Co-Founder
Hobsons Bay Model Railway Club Inc.
Operators of Australia's only 'Australian' Model Railway Show
Every Easter in Melbourne.
and my page
http://hobsonmodelrail.rrdepot.com/rods