Re: Booked out Melb XPTs

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <3grq3.38$wY5.343305@news0.optus.net.au> "WhaleOilBeefHooked" <daproc@spambait.umpires.com> writes:
>From: "WhaleOilBeefHooked" <daproc@spambait.umpires.com>
>Subject: Re: Booked out Melb XPTs
>Date: Fri, 06 Aug 1999 01:55:11 GMT

>David Bromage wrote in message <37AA2DDF.28D0476E@omni.com.au>...
>>WhaleOilBeefHooked wrote:
>>> Thenormal composition for an XPT is now 4 cars for Dubbo and 6 cars for
>>> elsewhere.
>>
>>The "normal" consist is 2+5 and 2+7, sometimes reduced to 1+4 and 2+6
>>during low traffic times.

>Which is all year, apart from school holidays. When they run 2+5 or 2+7 for
>only 14 weeks of the year, and run with one car less for the remaining 48
>weeks, then "normal" is 2+4 or 2+6.

>>> I have been informed that the limitation on inserting
>>> extra cars beyond 7 is (apart from the lack of cars) the capacity of the
>>> buffets. They simply would not be able to stock enough food and drink for
>an
>>> extra 68 people. The train would lose time on some stretchs, but would
>catch
>>> up on others sue to recovery time.
>>
>>The limit of 2+7 is imposed by the track alignments and gradients. a 2+8
>>XPT would not be able to maintain the already tight schedules.

>A 1+4 can maintain the schedule of the Dubbo XPT, and you would only have to
>slightly rework the schedules to allow foor a 2+8 XPT. What does alignment
>have to do with it anyway?

>>Cheers
>>GOD!

>DaveP


Yes ,Id be surprised if there would be anywhere that a 2 + 8 would not be able 
to maintain the current schedule.
On most routes , the XPT is really curve limited,not grade limited which means 
that a 2 + 7 combo cant go as fast as the power cars will allow,the only 
possible exceptions being where it has to run at 160 km/h for long stretches 
up hills which is nowhere.
A 2 + 8 has a  higher hp/tonne figure than a 1 + 4, (6.15 hp/t) 
against (5.27).

Routes where the XPT barely ever reaches full speed , ie 160 km/h would be 
least affected by the extra cars , Brisbane , Murwillumbah are good examples.
The Melb leg could easily be improved by simply allowing 160 km/h in Vic which 
would gain around 30 mins .
We dont need to modify the level crossings either, all thats needed is an 
extra speed board for XPTs placed 1 km out from the level crossing track ccts 
with 130km/h on it and another on the opposite side of the crossing with 
160km/h.