Re: Booked out Melb XPTs

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

>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.
>.

>But this is academic if there arnt enuf pass cars to allow this, are there ?

>MD


Its interesting to compare also what we have today ,to what there used to be.
In the Melb - Sydney case when we had 3 loco hauled pass trains per day in 
both directions ,it would have been a very rare case for any of them to have as
few as 7 cars, the Daylight being the only likely possibility on Tuesdaye and 
Wednesdays.
The other two , namely the SOP and Aurora always had upwards of 12 
cars with 17 cars on the weekends being quite common.
So XPT situation has drastically cut the carrying capacity with also no 
capacity for holidays like Easter or Xmas.
Obviously buying more powerful XP cars is an option to increase the loads ,
but if the money for this were available,it would be a better and cheaper 
solution to simply buy or lease all the currently non used ELs ,and with the 
differance build more pass cars to provide flexibilty in times of greater need
like holiday periods.
It would also allow the replacement of Explorer services with longer XPT 
services when demand required it , like the Canberra service on weekends.
Guess I am dreaming.

MD