Re: Brisbane Passanger Trains

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

Dr Green (dr_green_ae@yahoo.com) wrote:
> From reading previous comments on the XPT sets and a trip I had to Melbourne
> at the start of the year. Aren't they OVER utilised now.

Not really overused, but very little spare capacity in case of a failure.

> David. I didn't understand the page It still showed 1 trip each way to
> Brisbane. So if retimning is done HOW would it be done?

The current Murwillumbah XPT is rerouted to Brisbane, returning overnight.
This gives a slightly later arrival back in Sydney the next day. The
Grafton XPT is cancelled and run to Murwillumbah about 12 hours later.
Although you lose one 2+7 set, you gain the idle time one currently spends
stabled overnight at Grafton and two stabled overnight in Sydney.

You actually do it with one less 2+7 XPT set as one set is reduced to 2+5
to run to Armidale. Although none of the 2+7 sets are stabled in Sydney
overnight, they do get more idle time during the day at Meeks Road. For
example, the 6.45 arrival from Melbourne is suddenly no longer required
for the 11.35 Grafton departure. In fact the next 2+7 XPT is the 16.24 to
Brisbane.

At midnight, your XPTs would be:
1: Overnight Melbourne - Sydney
2: Overnight Sydney - Melbourne
3: Overnight Sydney - Brisbane
4: Overnight Brisbane - Sydney
5: Overnight Sydney - Murwillumbah
6: Overnight Murwillumbah - Sydney
7: Stabled Sydney (2+5)
8: Stabled Armidale (2+5)

In an emergency, the 16.50 arrival ex-Armidale could be built up to 2+7
(with the carriages which are now spare) to form the 23.15 Murwillumbah.
The 6.30 arrival ex-Murwillumbah the next morning can then be cut to 2+5
and run to Armidale later that morning.

Cheers
David