Re: QR going national?

[Graham Fry <fryg@sydpcug.org.au>]

Switched On wrote:
> 
> 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?
There are plenty of diesel locos around now that can easily exceed the
electric haulage capacity. Electrics only advantage is high kW not
necessarily high tractive effort which is the key ingredient for heavy
load haulage. Your about to get the 4000 class diesels which will have a
higher haulage capacity than the 31/32/35/35 electrics. In NSW the
western coal trains are regularly hauled by either 4 x 86
electrics(4500HP) or 3 x 81/82  diesels (3000HP), the lower kW diesels
can haul a greater load becuase or their superior traction control (ie.
wheel slip).  
> 
> > 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...

see above <g>