> >> > NR77 arrived on the point of the Overland promptly at 8.00am today,
> >> > Sunday 2 Nov 1997 with a "Ghan" power car, 5 cars, and an Indian
> >> > Pacific bagge car.
> >> You have to wonder about the economics of running a 5 car passenger train
> >> with a $3.5 million dollar 4000HP loco on the front. How long can this go
> >> on for, or are NR running this train at a loss? 5 cars with a power van &
> >> luggage van would weigh no more than 350 tonnes, equals about 11.5
> >> HP/tonne, more than the XPT.. Beats me cheers MD
> NW> It seems NR have the contract to shunt Keswick as well as the line haul.
> NW> There was an NR there were the DA usually was Saturday afternoon.
> NW> You have to wonder about shunting Keswick with a 4000 hp NR class rather
> NW> than a 1600 hp DA class too. It might make sense if it later becomes
> NW> the train engine for the Overland.
> NW> If there is no specific shunter how do GSR shunt the motorail at
> NW> Keswick?
> NW> Do they use the other end of the ramp?
>I believe the loco used to do the shunting also does the linehaul. What would be the economics of parking the NR and using another loco to do the shunting? Does NRC have other loco's available to do the shunting and what would be the costs associated with moving them to and from Keswick?
As has been pointed out here before, the NR's are horsepower
selectable, depending on the notch setting; 6th notch is 2,650, 7th
notch is 3250, and 8th notch is the full 4000hp.
After to speaking to an NR driver on the Overland, I was told that
most of the run is done in 6th notch and only occasionally is 8th
notch really necessary. Some drivers never go past 6th. It would
depend on the load and other conditions. All agree that the NR's are
the best things seen around for a long time.
Of concern was how V-Line drivers would be affected by having the
Overland job taken from them to which I was told that they were not
too upset as there is a shortage of drivers at the moment.
Of interest is the revelation from my NR driver that the NRC have
taken over the crewing of the XPT from Sydney to Brisbane and that
discussions are well advanced in NRC crewing of Sydney to Melbourne
XPT services.
What truth is there in this? Can anyone can confirm my driver's
pronouncements?
Les Brown.