Well guys I am an engineer for the BNSF in the US mainly haul coal where I live, just curious how heavy you coal and or freight trains run there. Our normal coal loads here in Denver run @ 128 cars @ 18,000-20,000 tons ( heaviest I have run is 22,000 configured 3x2 distributed power 5 c-44 ge.s ) mountain grade territory @ here. interested in talking more with someone in rail business there.
Really sorry in advance for the quick off-topic question, but if I don't ask, I won't learn...The signal can only show stop or calling on, the loader operated it. Any resemblance to a normal running signal is coincidental.
Grantham, the signal in your first photo is protecting the coal loader - I'm assuming it can show "caution", "stop" or "calling on". Would that be controlled by the coal unloader - ie if it is ready to accept a train for loading, one would see a calling on, while if one is just passing through it would display a caution? Thanks in advance, feel free to contact privately if you would prefer.
The largest coal trains in the mountains west of Sydney are 4,600t, although there have been trials of 6,000t trains. The grades here are pretty steep though. Five of the local variant of C44 GEs would only get you less than 8,000t on the grades around here. The ruling uphill grade is 1/40 (2.42?%) and downhill is 1/33.
Here is a shot of one of the local GM variants, in this case on one of the 6,000t test trains, at Baalbone Colliery (currently closed). Normally four of these units pull a 4,500t train.
[img]http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/4324/baalbone.jpg[/img]
And a few of the local AC44 variant. Usually three of these will pull a 4,600t train through the Blue Mountains, although these belong to a Hunter Valley based company, not the Blue Mountains based one. These ones are on the branch of the Baalbone mine on secret business.
[img]http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/2618/dg0y.jpg[/img]
Due to previous ideas by RIC & others to remove most sideings where wagons etc can be stored it is a monumental effort to find any place for a large amount of wagons to be suitable , maybe the tide will turn & space will be provided for storage as the future of the HV coal chain is looking very rosey for increased movements for the world's largest coal export terminal.
Wally.
where would these wagons have usually been stored had there been space? i note from artc documentation there is still yard space at goulburn and various points on the main south or there used to be. i guess the issues are north of sydney?There are no long term storage facilities for many hundreds of wagons. Most yards are congested enough as it is, so closed mines and closed branch lines tend to be the best alternatives.
and ndenver thanks for posting.
It would be interesting to know what are the:I suspect the Pilbara adheres to US heavy rail standards, since the units generally are somewhat lightly modified US domestic versions.
* rail weight
* type and frequency of sleepers (ties)
* gradients
* curvature
of the USA, Pilbara (AUS), and other Australian (AUS) railways.
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