Re: Oct RD report; Queenslander 2800 locos - and tilt train

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <7uk4vo$9l1$1@news1.mpx.com.au>,
WhaleOilBeefHooked <daproc@spambait.umpires.com> wrote:
>John McCandless <johnmc@topend.com.au> wrote in message
>380d92cb.0@news.topend.com.au">news:380d92cb.0@news.topend.com.au...
>
>> Hmmm.... so we will have a diesel tilt train running under wires from
>> Brisbane to Rocky?

 Probably. Not worth a power-car change.

>Why not make it an electro-diesel, like the ex-BR (now EWS,SWT,GatEx,etc)
>Class73 - run on overhead from Brisbane to Rocky, and diesel from Rocky to
>Cairns.

 Weight. Under the wires you are carrying a dead diesel engine about, which
would have to be started 1/2hr short of Rocky anyway to ensure the engine is
warm before you it gets under load - or electricly heat and circulate oil
and water.
 Then for the rest of the trip you are hauling the dead weight of transformers.

 At any rate, isnt the electric tilt train a 'distributed power' EMU?. Space
would be pretty tight under those cars as it is.

 I dont know that I would want to spend over 12 hours on a DMU with the
constant din from the diesel engine packs winding up and down all the time.

 It was bad enough on the Sunlander(?) when our seats were over a compressor
that ran the whole trip with out shutting down.

 Engine noise is what I really hate about the Xplorers.