Re: Fixing the Nth Coast Line.

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

Barry Campbell (barryC@qimr.edu.au) wrote:
> David Martin wrote:
> > 
> > Given the money, I'd start by building a line from Newcastle to Taree via
> > Nelson Bay, pre-fab tunnel under Port Stephens, Tea Gardens, Buladelah, & a
> > stop near Forster (I'd go around the west side of the lake). Design the line
> > for 160km/h to 200km/h for 90% of the distance.
> > 
> Given the money you could do anything, I suppose. But why bother to go
> under Pt Stephens instead of around it? Would there be any traffic
> to/from Forster? Wouldn't design for some lower speed be cheaper? If you
> could get average speed up to around 85km/hr overall this would mean a
> 12 hour journey which would allow departure from Sydney around 5-7 pm
> for pick up in Brisbane at 5-7am. Even passenger trains, if we must have
> the damn things, could run on a true overnight schedule. 

Designing for 200km/h running would be pretty pointless. Sustained 160km/h
XPT running would be ideal, which would allow sustained 110km/h running
of freights.

Cheers
David