Re: GSR will extend the Ghan service to Darwin

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

Dave Proctor (daproc@spambait.umpires.com) wrote:
> David Bromage <dbromage@fang.omni.com.au> wrote in message
> leMS3.6$Hn4.294103@news0.optus.net.au">news:leMS3.6$Hn4.294103@news0.optus.net.au...

> > I think GSR should go for double deck cars similar to Amtrak. While they
> > wouldn't be able to run them everywhere (yet), like Amtrak they would not
> > have to use them everywhere.

> So how would you propose running the services? two half-trains between
> Darwin-Adelaide and Perth-Adelaide, with one half being double deck and the
> other half being single deck? Then dividing the train at Adelaide?

Why not? Europe has been dividing trains like this for over a century.
Amtrak does it every day with combinations of single and double deck cars.

Besides, I'm positive a double deck car can be built to fit within the NSW
non-electric laoding gauge. Comeng proposed adding an extra 75mm of height
per deck within the existing electric loading gauge on the 25m long cars
they designed in 1979. I'm sure this means that existing deck heights can
be put within the non-electric loading gauge. It's 1900mm floor to
ceiling. Surely you can fit two of these decks plus two floors and a
ceiling inside 4267mm.

Cheers
David