Re: QR going national?

[Ian Harvey <ian_harvey@do.not.spam.me>]

Peter Cook wrote:
> 
> oh Graham you have be listening to people who know very little. Here is the
> fact on cost for Mainline electrification.
> Goonyella Freight cost $10.89 fer freight tonne to electrify
> Blackwater System cost $13.75 per freight tonne to electrify.
> These are in 1984 dollars. Overall cost / Tonnages for 1984

They are capital costs (putting the wire in), not operating costs
(paying for power down the wire to move the train and maintenance on the
wire).  I assume that's per freight tonne per year ?

> 
> Source Ford Bacon and Davis Consulting Engineers Project Public
> documentation.
> 
> The biggest (Cost wise) and most political was the electrifying of the
> Gladstone to Caboolture North coast section coming in at over $100 per
> Freight tonne.

Simply because it carries relatively little total tonnage when compared
to a coal line.  I'd be curious to see what the capital cost of
electrification is per line kilometre - I'd guess around half a million
dollars per km ?

> 
> --
> glt0145@ozemail.com.au
> Peter Cook
> 
> Graham Fry <fryg@sydpcug.org.au> wrote in message
> 37F1FCC1.44AE@sydpcug.org.au">news:37F1FCC1.44AE@sydpcug.org.au...

<snip...>

> > 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
> > 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!

$500 over a 10kt train (only a guesstimate of train tonnage) doesn't end
up being a big cost, and I can't imagine you would be starting and
stopping too regularly !  The annual cost of maintenance on the overhead
equipment may be more significant that the annual electricity bill.  

IMHO though capital cost is what really kills electrification.  Pity,
because electrification has certainly lead to a better passenger service
in Queensland !

> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > Graham Fry

-- 
IanH
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