Re: Fuel efficiencies of 422s

[james_ccj@my-deja.com]

In article <mdaly.368.00C331BA@pcug.org.au>,
  mdaly@pcug.org.au (Maurie Daly) wrote:
> Sometime ago there was a thread about the 422s inability to get from
Broken
> Hill to Sydney on a full tank of fuel and thats why two had to be
used.
> In researching another question on this group I got to realise that
there is
> something horribly wrong here.
> 422s hold 5455 litres and Sydney to BH is 1100 km.
> With only say 4 carriages , ie 3 pass cars and power van we have a
total
> trailing load of 200 tonnes so in order to use a full tank of fuel
the 422
> must be using around 25 litres per trailing 1000 tonnes/km , an
unbelievably
> bad figure.
> Given also that the majority of this route is dead flat , ie Parkes
to BH .700
> kms worth of the total 1100, it makes the whole scenerio even worse.
>
> Its also not consistant with previous 422 performance.
> In the days of the SOP and Daylight, during the week these trains
were quite
> often hauled by 1 422 all the way from Sydney to Melb with loads of
up to 12
> cars (600 tonnes ).
> This gives fuel efficiencies of around 8 litres / trailing 1000
tonnes/km  , a
> much more believeable figure.
>
> Although it never used 422s the Brisbane Express during the week also
ran with
> 1 44 all the way from Sydney to Sth Brisbane with loads of up to 12
cars ,(600
> tonnes), which gives fuel efficiency of 9 litres / trailing 1000
tonnes/km.
> Given the shocking alignment of the Nth Coast line I can beleive this
figure
> also.
>
> As a comparison the IP with a single NR with a max load of 900 tonnes
can get
> from Sydney to Adelaide on a single tank of fuel with no risk of
running out.
> This works out at around 6 litres / trailing 1000 tonnes/km, also a
very
> belieable figure.
This is why Country Link try to use 81 class as much as possible for
Broken Hill service. Can 81 class use on Griffth service?
Occasionally you will se IP dounle headed by NR class . Mostly during
school holiday where relieve engines aren't easily found in case break
down. The 2nd NR usually dead attach.


> Now its reasonable to expect that a 4 stroke diesel engined loco like
an NR
> will be more fuel efficient than a 422, but not by a factor of 4 to
1.
>
> So what does this all mean.
> Countrylinks 422s are totally stuffed and incredibly fuel inefficient.
> 422s dont like light loads .
Not many good ones left within Freight corp....80 class is even worst!
81 and 82 and 90 are working hard on the front line.
Seriously, the ultimate solution for Broken Hill and Griffth service is
order new Explorers.


> Whatever the answer , whoever is paying the fuel bills for the BH
pass should
> very seriously look at where the fuel is going and hire some ELs to
replace
> the 422s.
>
> Anyone have any better explanations?
Better off leave EL for GSR and order new Explorers. Currently ordered
3 XPT carriages can supply country link XPT service.


> MD
>
>

--
Cheers

James


Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.