Re: New Hi Speed Train to replace prospector

["Roderick Smith" <rodsmith@werple.net.au>]

If more people went to Europe instead of Bali, there would be a greater
realisation that 160 km/h is routine in most countries, 200 km/h far from
uncommon.  The WA proposal is hardly a 'high-speed' train, just
contemporary world standards.  Likewise, Queensland is hardly running
'bullet trains'.

Few Australians, particularly from NSW, realise that Australia's fastest
train was the 15.00 Fri. Perth - Kalgoorlie 'Prospector': 6 h for a
distance similar to Sydney - Albury (over which the much-vaunted XPT takes
7 h).

However, this train was pushing to the curve limits through Avon Valley:
the cant deficiency was measurable on the surface of the beer in a beaker
on the fold-down table (no food until after Northam, too unstable).

AFAIK 110 km/h around the curves; 140 km thereafter.

Proposals for high speed would require superelevation to NSW (or Luna Park)
standards through Avon Valley.

What might be achieved?
Perth - Northam: 1 h?
Northam - Kalgoorlie: 3 h?

In 1976, the 200 km/h 'Acquitaine' ran Bordeaux - Paris (550 km?,  similar
to Melbourne - Mildura, and shorter than Perth - Kalgoorlie) in 4 h.  BR
was running a similar distance, London - Glasgow, in 5 h.
-- 
Regards
Roderick Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

> >> On the ABC news tonite 22/6 was a short article about a new hi speed
(200 
> >> km/h) train to replace the prospector,between Perth & Kalgoorlie.
> >WA transport minister Eric Charlton called it a "bullet train", and that
> >there is nothing like it in Australia. Maybe he ought to visit
Queensland.