Re: Hardly any time saved by Transrapid
David Bromage (dbromage@metz.une.edu.au)
27 Apr 1998 08:35:57 GMT
DJ NightShade (dj_nightshade@geocities.com) wrote:
>
>David Bromage wrote in message <6hupqs$2cv$1@gruvel.une.edu.au>...
>>RSDHanstein@T-Online.de wrote:
>>
>>Thyssen Transrapid claims the Canberra service would be running at up to
>>550km/h, giving a 60 minute service via Wollongong. In comparison,
>>Speedrail proposes 350km/h TGV technology giving an 80 minute service.
>
>But wouldn't it make more sense to save all that extra enegry for an extra
>20 minutes, and also be able to use some of the line for highspeed freights
>to melborne?
For the moment the line would only go to Canberra. If Speedrail uses TGV
technology, you can expect gradients of up to 1 in 20 which will mostly be
run on momentum. I doubt you'll see any freight on the line, at least at
first. Even in France the only non-passenger stuff on TGV lines is mail,
carried by three special TGV sets part-owned by the French postal service.
Should the line ever reach Melbourne, the only freight you MIGHT see is
what is mostly currently carried by air. You certainly won't see container
trains on the line.
Cheers
David