Re: QR going national?

["Switched On" <yaropolk@hotmail.com>]

Graham Fry <fryg@sydpcug.org.au> wrote in message
37F1FCC1.44AE@sydpcug.org.au">news:37F1FCC1.44AE@sydpcug.org.au...
> > Exhorbitant? If they are exhorbitant, how come Queenslanders pay less
for
> > their electricity than anyone else in the country? Hmm? If our coal
haulage
>
> I am not sure how up to date you are with your facts on electricity
> pricing. I think you  will find in the de-regulated market down south
> that electricity prices are lower. It will be interesting to see what

I have travelled quite extensively down there, and some things _are_ cheaper
down south, especially in Victoria, but coal certainly is not. You see, the
difference is the scale of operation we are talking about.

> happens when long extension lead from Armidale to Toowoomba is completed
> and Queensland joins the SE Aust grid.

Yes, that would be interesting.

> I don't have any knowledge on the rates QR is paying for electricity but
> on a recent trip through the central coalfields a number of railway
> people were suggesting that QR made the wrong decision to electrify the
> coal lines due to the high maintenance costs as well as high energy

And pray tell, where are you going to get a deisel loco with the
power-to-weight ratio to be able to effectively start and stop a
kilometre-long coal train as quickly as an electric?

> costs. This might have some truth as the new locos for coal working on
> the Moura line are diesels even though apparently there was
> consideration given to electrifying the line but it was not economical.
> One driver at Gladestone was saying that each time he had to make a stop
> and restart a 130 wagon coal train it cost $500 in electricity charges.
> I don't where he got the figures but when your drawing 12,000 kW it
> could be true!

And how much deisel would a loco burn if it were to try and start/stop the
same train _WITH EXACTLY THE SAME ACCELERATION/DECELERATION_ ? Indeed, I
wonder if you would be able to find a deisel which could match an electric
in that regard...