Re: Trains to Newcastle.

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <349EFFB2.742B@sydney.dialix.oz.au> Michael Cuthbert <mcuth@sydney.dialix.oz.au> writes:
>From: Michael Cuthbert <mcuth@sydney.dialix.oz.au>
>Subject: Re: Trains to Newcastle.
>Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 11:02:58 +0000

>Peter Neve wrote:
>> Cowan to Hawkesbury.   Straight down the hill.   The grade might
>> increase to 1 in 30, but who cares these days with high horse power
>> diesels and V sets.

>I understand that Cowan to Hawkesbury is the critical grade for the
>whole Northern system. This section was recently upgraded to
>bidirectional signalling for the purpose of passenger trains being able
>to pass stalled freights- a far-too-regular occurrence.

>Mike.

Correct, the worst bits are Hawkesbury River to Cowan ,(av grade 1:40) and 
Epping to Pennent Hills (av grade 1:40).
Its generally a bit easier on the down heading out of Sydney than coming back.
The last thing we need as a fix though is steeper grades.
All the horsepower on earth cant get you up a steeper grade,unless you have 
the corresponding axle load to compensate.
Unfortunately , all the Govt Railways in Australia limit axle loads to 23 
tonnes for normal freight locos,(SRA 90 class excepted which are extremely 
limited in where they can go).
This essentially limits your max load to about 1200 tonnes up 1:40 
irrespective of how powerful the loco is.

cheers
MD


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Maurie Daly
Department of Communications Lab.
Canberra
Australia
mauried@commslab.gov.au
ph 6 2791331
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