Re: Rail plan angers residents

["John Garaty" <jkgaraty@1earth.net>]

Greetings all,.
 It has already been done before, just down the road at the Port Kembla
steel works. Power pickup for the hotcars at the coke ovens is by
spring-loaded collector shoes running on inverted rails along side the
track. The hot car takes red-hot coke from the ovens to the under quenching
tower, where the fire is put out by a lot of water which makes a big steam
cloud.

The air operated railway was the South Devon railway designed by a Mr I. K.
Brunel. The problem was rats eating the leather flap that was used to seal
the pipe. He had more success with the Great Western Railway and his steam
ships Great Western, Great Britain and posthumously the Great Eastern. One
wonders how big a diesel electric unit you could have if the Great Western
Railway's broad gauge had been adopted as the "standard" gauge?
Regards, John Garaty, ex-coke ovens employee.

Goldie <goldicom@powerup.com.au> wrote in message 3a015755@grissom">news:3a015755@grissom...
> Didn't the Pomms once try an air driven railway, big pipe underground and
> piston on the train - didn't work too well 'cos sealing was a problem.
>
> Now for the modern adaptation - power feed in split pipe between the
tracks,
> pantograph of novel design thru top of pipe contacting internal electric
> cable.
>
> I can just see all the greenies lining up to contribute to the research
and
> development fund - then financing construction!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Goldie
>
>
> "Rob Kearey" <mammal@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
> 3A00E8BB.A1CDA145@optushome.com.au">news:3A00E8BB.A1CDA145@optushome.com.au...
> > Matthew Geier wrote:
> >
> > > >http://www.illnews.com.au/today/2069332.htm
> >
> > Upon further reflection, it does seem that the residents are complaining
> > about the proposed construction of railway catenary.
> >
> > >  Umm how does one electrify a railway with underground cables.... :-)
> >
> > You don't.
> >
> > >  I assume they are complaining about the feeder transmission lines,
but
> > > compared to the catenary, they would have minimal visual impact, you
> would
> > > have trouble noticing any thing other than the heavy DC catenary
> wires....
> >
> > Here's an extract from the article:
> >
> > > Bombo resident Ron Lyons, whose home overlooks Bombo Beach, said he
was
> > > ropeable at the decision, which would spoil one of the area's most
> > > spectacular views.
> >
> > Hah. No more than the roads do, I should say.
> >
> > > "I think that when they're planning these things and the environment
> report
> > > says they should go underground then they should just cost that in,"
he
> > > said.
> >
> > I think Ron is confusing "substation feeders" with "railway catenary".
> >
> > > "In 50 years people will look at that railway line in disgust.
> >
> > No, Ron, they won't.
> >
> > > They'll
> > > understand why the line had to be right on the coast but they won't
> > > understand why there had to be big ugly towers over the line."
> >
> > Yes, Ron, thy will.
> >
> > The mind, it boggles. What on earth did he expect from electrification?
> >
> > There's a feedback link on the webpage - it may behoove some of our more
> > knoweledage people to outline the folly of the article in question.
> >
> > --
> > Rob K
>
>