Re: Trains to Newcastle.

[nswsrca@ozemail.com.au (Peter Neve)]

On Sun, 14 Dec 1997 09:08:30 GMT, ajwright@ozemail.com.au (Ashley
Wright) wrote:

>While driving to Newcastle today to see my family a thought came
>across me. Why do trains to Newcastle take sooo long to get from
>Central to Newcastle? What is it that realy slows the trains down?? If
>it is the alignment of the track on the Sydney side of the Hawksbury
>why havn't the governments looked at introducing some form of tilt
>train. (Correct me if I am wrong but the alignment on the newcastle
>side, although curvy is actually good for reasonably quick running).
>
> If it is the number of stops made between Gosford and Newcastle why
>dosn't city rail introduce quick trains stopping only at say
>Strathfield, Hornsby, Gosford, Tuggerah, Morrisett, Broadmedows and
>all it Newcastle. Those wanting intemediate stations changing for
>connecting local trains??. Surly their would be a BIG market,
>especialy in the Central coast area for very quick trains to Sydney
>and indeed Newcastle.


G'day.

Gee, we got off course on this one didn't we!

Getting back to the subject, I would say that apart from very heavy
track occupancy and heavy passenger traffic requiring extended stops
at various major stations, the problem is one of track alignment,
which hasn't changed in 75 years plus, except for bridge realignments.
Grades were eased by deviations which meant that whilst heavier loads
could be hauled, often running times were extended.

There was an opportunity when electrification was was extended north
from Gosford, to go back to the old alignmnents (such as at Hawkmount)
or straghten out curvy sections, but they didn't.   Hence, whilst the
motive power used on trains today can operate at substantially higher
speeds, they can't because of speed restrictions caused by track
curvature.

I quote to my mates the works I wuld like to see, but I can imaging
the greeny response.   I remember that there did not seem to be a
massive greeny uprising with the cnstriction of the Northern
Expressway from Nhornsy to Mount White and beyond, but I assume the
greenies use the expressway!

Leaving Asquith - a straight line to Cowan.   Cut out all the curves.

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.   

A HIGH speed curve to Long Island, thence once over the Hawkesbury, a
straight line along Mullet Creek - not a Cook's Tour (sorry, Bob)
around every inlet along the way.

Super elevation into Woy Woy Tunnel, assuming we still have to pass
through Woy Woy and Gosford.

>From Woy Woy to Gosford - a straight line - a little more difficult
now, because of the residential development in recent years, but not
impossible.

Similar curve straighting north of Gosford as well!

I would guess an immediate saving of 20 minutes PER TRAIN between
Hornsby and Gosford at least.

Broadmeadow/Newcastle could be reached EASILY in under 90 minutes.
We would probasbly require some four tracvk sections to allow stopping
trains to take the refughe and the faster trains to overtake.

But would the greenies allow it?

Carrying on - since I have the floor,  straightening ut the North
Coast route could provide dramatic time reductions and  real
competition to the murderous Pacific Highway.   But the money is spend
on Highway upgrading instead, to improve the running time for thr
truckies.

Getting off the subject, as all the others have, so that gives me the
licence to as well, there is the story about the promotional XPT
between Parramatta and Penrith,  with the PR people promoting that the
train was now travelling at 160 km/h on the section to St. Marys-
passengers looked over to the adjacent track to see a V set slowly
overtaking.   One of these stories, but ...it indicates with the right
conditions, our trains can run at high speed.

A final comment.   Look how Queensland Railways has straighted out it
Sunshine route to Rockhampton, allowing its new electric tilt trains
to run at up to 170 km/h on 3'6" (sorry, 1067mm) gauge track.

Over to the greenies for their objections, but they don't read these
pages!

Pete.