Re: C Class Rumours

["Mr Knowitall" <rodo@alphalink.com.au>]

Maurie Daly wrote in message ...
>In article <378288EC.A0F607E9@omni.com.au> David Bromage
<dbromage@omni.com.au> writes:
>>Date: Wed, 07 Jul 1999 09:56:41 +1100
>>From: David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au>
>>Subject: Re: C Class Rumours
>
>>Reuben Farrelly wrote:
>>> I'm leading up to the question:  "Can the C's be made lighter, and if
so,
>>> would it make them useful for mainline duties again?"
>
>>Yes and yes, but only as a passenger locomotive. Wouldn't it be great
>>to have the pair of them working the Overland? :)
>
>>Cheers
>>David
>
>
>Its pretty hard to make a loco like the Cs lighter without degrading some
>aspect of their performance.
>The simplest and cheapest way would be to simply reduce the size of the
fuel
>tank, replace the traction motors with smaller light weight ones , and if
>desperate remove the dynamic braking resistors and fans.
>Cant do much else without a drastic modification such as replaceing the
engine
>with a more current lighter one , such as an EMD 710 G3.
>Lightweight locos with lightweight traction motors arnt much use , just
look
>at the EL saga .

Everything that can be taken out has been, Ie. Pressurising Fans, It is
unrealistic to reduce fuel tank, as they trialed 6,300L to Sydney and they
just made it.

Why would anyone want to take the dynamic brake off a loco?

The EMD 710 is a welded construction the same as the current C class block.

>A better option would be to do the exact reverse.
>Replace the tractiom motors with the heavier D87 BTR motors and install
super
>series creep control.
>What you end up with then is a loco with sufficient fuel range to run
Melb -
>Sydney on a single tank full with a full load and enough tractive effort to
>outpull an NR thru the Adelaide Hills , which lets face it is where you
need
>all the pull you can get.
>If its true that Cs really do weigh 145 tonnes and not 132 as published,

The Actual weight is 156.6 tonnes


>then you end up with a loco with performance not far off a 90 but able to
run on
>the main lines .
>Seems a much better deal to me than using them as shunters.
>MD
>