Balmain Counterweight Tramline

["John Wayman" <trecker@bigpond.com>]

Although assisted by the counterweight car, how steep was the Balmain line
to Darling Street Wharf?

Cheers

John Wayman

Ron BEST wrote in message <3668b77e.0@139.134.5.33>...
>
>Bill Bolton wrote in message <366e7982.5717337@news.bigpond.com>...
>>"David Martin" <d_martin@mountains.net.au> wrote:
>>
>>> What is the steepest gradient used on a train or tram line?
>>
>>The former single track Neutral Bay Tram line in Sydney had a ruling
>>gradient of 1 in 8.75, which extended for several chains near the
>>lower end of Wycombe Road, beyond Shell Cove loop.
>
>Wasn't Hayes Street steeper?
>>
>>Even after the requirements for additional braking had been relaxed on
>>others steeply graded parts of the former Sydney tram system,
>>passenger carrying trams on the Neutral Bay line were restricted to
>>types with additional braking facilities.  This was initially 4 wheel
>>cars from the C, D, E, H and K classes which were equipped with extra
>>mechanical track brakes.  In later years a single R1 (1999 on trial
>>and later 2029 permanently) was fitted with additional resistors on
>>the roof between the trolley basses to provide rheostatic braking and
>>provide the regular service on the line.  A pair of single truck track
>>brake equipped Ks (1295/1296) cars were retained for use when the R1
>>was unavailable due to scheduled maintenance.
>>
>>Many years ago Modern Tramway ran a series of articles on steeply
>>graded lines and I remember being surprised that there a quite a
>>number of adhesion only lines in Europe which were steeper than
>>Neutral Bay, but I have no recollection now of exactly where they
>>were.
>
>It was called "Mountain climbing sans rack"!
>>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Bill
>>
>>
>
>