Your suggestion for TAS Project - Building Oz Fund

Hendo · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 2:31 am

Hey Guys,

A hypothetical for all of you. Given Toll/Asciano are probably going to pull the same stunt on Tassie that they have in NZ, what would you suggest for infrastructure projects from the Building Australia Fund?

My ideas:

> Upgrade all lines, realigning where possible, if impractical to upgrade to standard gauge use the heaviest rail possible to allow QR style Tilt Trains and newer diesel railcars, to maximise their high speed potential.

> If it is possible to upgrade to standard, dual gauge all necessary elements to allow continued operations during works, with a mandated changeover for revenue services, this also allows future heritage use on the Narrow.

. Duplicate the lines where possible, if they go through a station, triplicate, so express tilt trains can get through, if not stopping

> Electrify the network, you have all of that hydro and great potential for wind supplement

> Extend you passenger lines to your main airports

> Start fast freight, like in Europe, short trains doing 130Km/hr, to get more general freight of road.

Just some thoughts for discussion by a Qld'er,

cheers,
Hnedo

GeoffreyHansen · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 4:16 am

How about building a new mainline from Davenport in the north to Hobart in the South designed to greatly reduced travel times. Perhaps build it to the standard of some of the newer QR lines.

Bring the 3900s back to Brisbane
Bring Karlsruhe Tramtrains to Australian cities
Extend the proposed Metro to Taylor Square
Extend the Gold Coast line to the Tweed

Hendo · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:26 am

If you were going to build a new line, why not Standard Gauge or dual gauge,

Hendo

tasrail · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 10:23 am

Wow, those must be good drugs that you are on

Bulbous · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 10:44 am

no need to standardise as there is no interchange between adjoining rail systems. as long as all rail systems that connect to each other are the same gauge, it doesn't matter whether it is standard, 2 foot, 3 foot 6, whatever......

Most gains would be from major re-alignment of the main lines, and upping the oevrall average speeds of the system.....

drwaddles · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 10:53 am

Standardisation could well matter as far as the competition between operators is concerned. As seen in Victoria, one can have a near monopoly on non-standard lines because there isn't the critical mass of locos and wagons in this country for many operators to have a slice of the pie.

People who talk out their asre usually have bad breath.

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 6:05 pm

Hendo · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 7:35 pm

Well extend it to the patch of grass with the windsock. Last time I was in Tassy (my first) was an overnight job and it was winter, so my head was down and I didn't look around much.

Somebody in the WWW · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 7:37 pm

I meant the railway lines used for passenger services, not airports.

"The trains at Pennant Hills run roughly every half hour. Nobody in their right mind uses a service that shoddy. That so many do just proves how many dumb and/or desperate people there are in Sydney." - MrPC

Hendo · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 7:54 pm

Oh,

No I realise they killed off they're passenger services years ago, prefer killing themselves on black ice covered roads. Just a hypothetical to promote discussion. Plus in the context of the "Building Australia Fund" would seem a practical idea for Tasmania.

cheers,
Hendo

DRR_Fireman · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 8:07 pm

Electrification? Tilt trains? New main line? Standard gauge ??

You have got to be kidding me.

You do know that April was last month, don't you?

Don River Railway, Tasmania -U/V class driver, Trainee Fireman, Trainee Railcar driver and Shunter extraordinaire!

409 · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 8:32 pm

Here are a few ideas from a croweater. Sorry if some of the ideas may seem a little niave.

Mainline upgrading:

-Heavy rail of 53kg/m to 60kg/m.
-Continuous welding from end to end.
-Narrow gauge concrete sleepers.
-Deep ballast of upto 1m.
-Lengthening of passing loops to between 1500m-1800m (whatever is the most practical to Tasmanian operations).

Curve upgrading:

-Realignment of the worst curves between Burnie and Hobart where practical to a radius between 400m-600m.
-Super elevation used to the greatest extent possible for higher operating speeds.

Clearances:

-Improve clearances around the system (such as at numerous cuttings and at Rydaston Tunnel) to comfortably allow suitable ex standard gauge motive power or specially built narrow gauge locomotives to a less restrictive loading gauge (you had to chop the exhaust stacks off our 830s which were around cab height of a lot of locomotives here in SA).
-Realign various station yards or shave back station platforms for greater clearances and therefor greater operating speeds of larger locomotives.

Potential (second hand) locomotives/rollingstock:

-New build locos like the PNQ PN class.
-ex Vic P, X and Y classes.
-ex SA DL class.
-ex WA D, DA and L classes.

-New build wagons.
-AOOX opens converted to flat wagons (75' long, a number have already been converted but a large number are as built still).
-AHDL hoppers converted to open top hoppers from grain hoppers.
-ABFY vans (75' long).
-ex Leigh Creek coal hoppers for use on the west coast Zinc traffic (open top, 'tipper' wagons).

As I said at the start of this post, I appologise if some of these suggestions seem naive to more experienced Tasmanian enthusiasts.

2008 BOGIE AWARD WINNER - Best Contribution to Model Railways

LINK TO YOUTUBE PROFILE

"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!"

DRR_Fireman · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:18 pm

Some good ideas there 409, especially the curve and mainline upgrading. I think the plan is to re-align a lot of the tighter curves around Rhyndaston tunnel area in the Government's track upgrade program.

There's not much need for longer crossing loops at the moment, as the trains just seem to be getting shorter and shorter!

Don River Railway, Tasmania -U/V class driver, Trainee Fireman, Trainee Railcar driver and Shunter extraordinaire!

409 · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:29 pm

What is the average length of a typical container train on the mainline between Hobart and Launceston of you don't mind me asking?

2008 BOGIE AWARD WINNER - Best Contribution to Model Railways

LINK TO YOUTUBE PROFILE

"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!"

DRR_Fireman · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:39 pm

Erm, you've got me there.... maybe 30 wagons? Thats just an (un)educated guestimate. Maybe Steve or Brodie could post their observations of loads leaving Hobart/Boyer?

Don River Railway, Tasmania -U/V class driver, Trainee Fireman, Trainee Railcar driver and Shunter extraordinaire!