Re: High Speed Trains in Australia

[dbromage@metz.une.edu.au (David Bromage)]

Chris Grace (chris@transdata.co.nz) wrote:
>David Johnson (trainman@ozemail.com.au) wrote:
>
>: The power supply on the XPT is variable voltage, variable frequency.  I can tell you what
>: throttle notch the XPT is in simply by listening to the speed of the air-conditioning.
>: This is why the large microwave ovens that used to be in the buffet cars kept exploding.
>: All power applications requiring steady supply run off 120 V DC.
>
>Which is why the British HST trailer cars cannot run independently of the HST (i.e. hauled
>behind a locomotive) even though they are otherwise standard Mark 3 design. They can't be
>supplied with heating or air conditioning power by a locomotive.

In the early days of HST running, the cars were produced faster than the
class 43 locomotives. Western Region ended up running some "generator
sets" to Cornwall and Wales, which was basically an HST car set with a
generator car hauled by a class 47 or class 50 locomotive.

In theory, any bufferless locomotive could haul an XPT set with an XP
trailing, idling and providing auxiliary power. 

Cheers
David