Re: Eight Car XPT sets on Brisbane XPT

[Craig Haber <albatross@harnessnet.com.au>]

John Dennis wrote:
> Using your criteria, B simply means B-type car, and F means F-type
> car.  What is blazes is a Z type car or an N type car anyway?  I
> thought the N-sets were built as interurban cars (originally), I guess
> there are two 'N's in interurban, so it makes some sense.

I didn't explain myself very well.  It's more like:

First letter/s - class (A for First, B for Econ, AB for composite, S for
Sleeper)
Last letter/s - type of vehicle (S for Steel or Spirit - I'm yet to be
convinced which one it was, Z for Saloon, N for 'New Deal'?)

Any intermediate letters - misc, C for guards/connies van, R for Refresh
etc.

Regarding the 'Z' classification - it's an interesting one.  One of the
senior Engineer's I work with is ex-Newport, he claims the story is as
follows.  After the last S car was built (compartments), attention was
turned to building saloon cars.  Apparently those at Newport were
convinced that they simply could not build a better type carriage than
an S car, and as 'Z' loosely resembled a back to front (or "stuffed up")
'S', the new cars became known as the 'Z' cars.

Not sure how much truth is there, but who knows....

As for 'N', my educated guess is that it is linked to the 'New Deal',
which included their introduction (among other things).  The 'H'
classiciation is simple enough (Harris cars), the 'J' cars were Joint
stock, so it too is fair enough, although I've raised in the past why
were the PCO's not classified PCJ?

Cheers,
CH.
-- 
Craig Haber
albatross@harnessnet.com.au
Manufacturing Systems Engineer (almost) 
Web Page Designer, Harness Racing, Railways, and Essendon Football Club
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