Re: XPT Melb - Adelaide?

["Arthur Marsh" <mars0177@flinders.edu.au>]

"Peter Berrett" <pberrett@optushome.com.au> wrote in message
xzyG5.5789$Xx3.26006@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au">news:xzyG5.5789$Xx3.26006@news1.eburwd1.vic.optushome.com.au...

[snip]

> What about then a tilt train with XPT speed eg like the Swedish train that
> ran in NSW a year or two back. What would that be capable of given
existing
> signalling?
>
> The bottom line I am driving at is this -
>
> If GSR decided to bite the bullet and, without major changes to signalling
> or track, introduced a higher speed tilt or other train on the Melbourne
to
> Adelaide route - what would be the best timing express Melbourne to
Adelaide
> that it could hope for?
>
> Adelaide is about 725 kms from Melbourne. Let's look a couple of years
ahead
> and assume that Melbourne to Ballarat is now high speed and 1 hour
> travelling time (120 km distance). That leaves 600 km to traverse.

I think that it's longer than that by rail. Adelaide to the eastern side of
the Murray River is quite slow except near Monarto South. Max Michell's
proposal for some deviations between Bridgewater and Callington could reduce
the running time, but you're still looking at over an hour between Adelaide
and Murray Bridge versus the present running time of around 2 hours.

> I'll take a punt and assume that an average of 120 kph average is possible
> with the right train. That's 5 hours. Total time = 6 hour trip.

You need to do your sums again, to get a 120 km/h average with stops to
cross other trains would require higher speeds than any of the track is
designed for.

>
> How does this sound then (assuming all tracks converted to standard gauge
> and running via Ballarat)
>
> Departs Traralgon 6.00 A.M arrives Melbourne 7.30 A.M
> Departs Mel 8.00 AM arrives Adelaide 2.00 PM
> Departs Adelaide 3.00 PM arrives Melbourne 9.00 P.M
> Departs Melbourne 9.30 P.M arrives Traralgon 11.00 P.M
>
> This would facilitate a Traralgon to Adelaide service.
>
> cheers Peter

Arthur.