Re: Status of the ELS

[mauried@commslab.gov.au (Maurie Daly)]

In article <37E069BA.8BDD614D@omni.com.au> David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au> writes:
>Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 13:54:03 +1000
>From: David Bromage <dbromage@omni.com.au>
>Subject: Re: Status of the ELS

>Maurie Daly wrote:
>> The article is a little vague on exactly what is being done.
>> Completely re furbished new engines , upgraded Dash-8 computer technology
>> "what ever that means", new gear sets , still ideal for both pass and freight.
>> Not clear whether the narrow guage traction motors are being replaced,although
>> to get significantly more tractive effort than the current pathetic 197 kn you
>> would need bigger ones , at least NR type or the big GE752 type like BHPS
>> CM-40s have got.

>It's not pathetic when you consider its original design purpose. Goninan
>designed the loco for semi-fast passenger trains from Sydney to
>Brisbane, the HPT. SRA cancelled the project in favour of more XPTs, but
>Goninan revived the design when AN wanted a faster locomotive for both
>passenger and fast freight use.

>The ELs should be hauling GSR trains, not freight.

>Cheers
>David


Yes its interesting why AN wanted them , but they were never able to be used 
for their intended purpose by AN or indeed anyone else.
Indeed AN applied the same logic to the original CLs , getting gearing ratios 
of 160 km/h but never able to be used.
Speed limits of 115 km/h seem to be with us forever for loco hauled trains.
They really arnt a lot of use on GSR trains either, being only usable west of 
Adelaide to Perth and to Alice Springs. (197 kn isnt enuf to get up the 
Adelaide Hills or Blue Mtns even with a modest train.)
Even using them on XPT type trains is a waste of 
time,given the very small amounts of track where the XPT can actually get to 
160 km/h .
As a previous poster pointed out,just about all the Rail market these days is 
for freight not pass trains , and having a fleet of locos suitable only for 
pass trains is pretty wasteful.

The best locos for GSR trains are the Vline Ns , having plenty of pull and HEP.

MD