Re: XPT Melb - Adelaide?

["Peter Berrett" <pberrett@optushome.com.au>]

Following on from my earlier post I have just been reading "the world
fastest trains" by Geoffrey Freeman Allen. It's a great book with a lot on
high speed and very high speed trains.

I noticed that the Talgos come in for a bit of a mention. They have low
slung bodies with a low centre of gravity. Later models tilt.

If we leave aside signal;ling for a second, given the lower centre of
gravity wouldn't the train be able to go faster on indifferent / less stable
track? ie Couldn't a Talgo do Melbourne to Adelaide faster on existing
track?

That would just leave the signalling to solve and given that we are probably
only talking 100 mph running that may not be too expensive. Level crossing
might need to be modified however.

cheers Peter

Peter Berrett <pberrett@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
%VzG5.5821$Xx3.26069@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au">news:%VzG5.5821$Xx3.26069@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au...
> Sounds good
>
> At 160kmh running (average) the Adelaide to Ballarat section could be done
> in 4 hours p,lus 1 horu to Melbourne Total = 5 hours.
>
> A footy fan in Adelaide could catch the footy express at 7.30 A.M
(Adelaide
> time) and arrive in Melbourne at 1.00 P.M. (Melb time) just in time to
> change trains to go to a match at the MCG or walk over to Colonial
stadium.
> Return could leave at 6.00 P.M. arriving Adelaide at 10.30 P.M (Adelaide
> time).
>
> And vice versa for matches in Adelaide.
>
> Given that concrete sleepers have been laid for much of the route to
> Adelaide and there has been recent upgrading to allow trains to run at
> reasonable speeds on the track surely it would not take too much to
achieve
> this sort of service? A 5 hour service would be very popular with footy
fans
> and might arguably spur development of a faster service if proven popular.
>
> The recent improvements in travel times to Adelaide (and the daylight
> service) have resulted in improved patronage. Is there hope of further
> improvements? I think that once a service between Melbourne and Adelaide
> gets down below 6 hours then patronage will rise significantly as it be
> possible to do day trips return to the other capital. The average required
> for Ballarat to Adelaide to achieve this is only 120 kph (assuming the
hgih
> speed link to Ballarat is built) - not a great jump.
>
> cheers Peter
>
>
> B. <gunzel412@dingoblue.gunzel.net.au> wrote in message
> 39eabddd$0$11628$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39eabddd$0$11628$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> > David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
> > S5yG5.89$QR.5076@news0.optus.net.au">news:S5yG5.89$QR.5076@news0.optus.net.au...
> > > Peter Berrett (pberrett@optushome.com.au) wrote:
> >
> > >> Could the XPT run on the standard gauge track between Melbourne
> > >> and Adelaide
> >
> > > Yes.
> >
> > >> and what would be it's timings?
> >
> > > A bit better than the Overland, but nothing staggering. It would
> > > be allowed 130km/h on sections where a pass could do 115km/h,
> > > subject to local restrictions (i.e. curves).
> >
> > Why 130km/h?
> >
> > I believe all the Level Crossings are designed for 115km/h, so if you
> > were to extend the approaches, why not move them out to 160km/h?
> >
> > --
> > B.
> > Email - gunzel412 at dingoblue dot net dot au
> > ICQ#  - 82329734
> > Phone - long, long, short, long.
> >
> >
>
>