Re: The Victorian 4D train

["Michael Kurkowski" <mk@netstra.com.au>]

Iming Chan <chani@translib.com.au> wrote in article
<36FD6FBB.CFD154E9@translib.com.au>...
> David Bennetts wrote:
> 
> > Amin Azoor wrote in message <36FCDAE1.8EA9E31E@ozemail.com.au>...
> > >Why is it that the double decker train only runs on the hillside line.
> > >one of my mates said it's because no much hillside trains go through
the
> > >loop. And does anyone know when railpage is updated?
> > >
> > >Cheers,
> > >Amin Azoor
> >
> > The train is out-of-gauge for certain lines, I believe this mainly
relates
> > to platform facings.
> 
> Also overpass clearance - some overpass have minimal clearance, which
means
> the contact wires are much lower through that area and cannot accommodate
the
> 4D set.  AFAIK, several roads at Flinders Street were lowered in order to
> maintain sufficient clearance between contact wires and roof of the 4D
set.

<Personal Opinion Mode>
Take a look at Platform 4 of Flinders Street one day, particularly at any
normal Comeng or Hitachi set and you will see that the overhead cant go
much lower before the panto reaches the bottom completely. The 4D still
just makes it under that (with about what appears to be 8" or thereabouts
spare) until the wires touch the roof. Therefore assuming this, im unsure
how the overhead can be much lower than that taking into consideration the
pantos on the H and C sets. 

I thought the size restrictions related more to the width/height of the
tunnels, e.g. at Jolimont to West richmond and Heidelberg plus a few
others. The way i see it, if you are to take the 4D through the tunnel at
Jolimont you may not have that much problem with the overhead, but you may
lose a few of the top deck windows and panels between the side wall and
roof in the process.
</Personal Opinion Mode>

Apart from that im unsure of any other reason other than platform specs.

Thanks,
Michael.