Re: D57 Class [was Re: 6029]

["Robert Lee" <robsl@ozemail.com.au>]

It is true that the 57s were not allowed to run to Newcastle because of
their wide cylinders.  The 58s were built with smaller cylinders precisely
to allow operation between Sydney and Newcastle...BUT...... by the time the
58s came on stream the plate iron girder bridges between Woy Woy and Cockle
Creek had deteriorated to the point where the 58s' axle load was an issue.
But note, 58s did run from Cardiff (the workshops in Newcastle where some
were built) to Sydney with lightly-loaded tenders.

As for the present situation.  Just a personal opinion, but given the
modifications to the loading gauge (allowing wide suburban stock to run to
Newcastle) and the replacement of the plate iron girder bridges (completed
as long ago as 1964!!!) I can't see why a 57 could not run to Newcastle and,
in fact, well beyond

Anyone know any reason why a 57 can still not run to Newcastle (and
Murrurundi too I suspect)???

While discussing this, now that there are no timber bridges left on the
North Coast line, and since the X2000 ran to Brisbane and Murwillumbah, I
suspect a 57 could run to Brisbane.  I suspect that North Coast tunnels are
more generous than those on lines built in the nineteenth century.  Anyone
know??  Then again, the X2000 did get through the 3 single-track tunnels
between Bungendore and Queanbeyan, and they date from the mid-1880s.  Maybe
a 57 could even run to Canberra nowadays!!

>I can't remember how much a D57 weighs, but surely today's modern trackage
with 53 or
>63kg/m rails and concrete sleepers could handle it.
>
>But one thing I just remembered was that D57 weren't allowed to work North
to
>Newcastle because they were out of gauge. Perhaps this is another reason
why RAC don't
>want to see 5711 running again?
>
>Jon Lau
>