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BDA
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Oct 17, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: Sydney
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:13 am
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To those working trains between Sydney and Melbourne , with recent infrastructure "improvements" are the running times any less or is the standing time just taken somewhere else ?
There seems to be a lot going on infrastructure wise and since I only run from Sydney to Junee I only get to see ~ half of it .
I believe four of the "passing lanes" are open between Junee and Albury and yet the Junee boys seem to think that the difference is trivial .
Lots seems to be going on close in to Melbourne and I guess it's difficult to see a difference until it's all up and running .
Up this end the lack of the SSFL is making an increasing impact on freight into and through Sinn City .
Having said that if and when it does materialize terminal facilities are a big problem in Sydney ATM .
Timetabling must be another aspect of less traffic restrictive corridors and I would hope that ARTC has this in mind for when a few more of the bottlenecks are removed .
Still ~ 13+ for Syd Melb superfreighters ?
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Fireman Dave
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: Probably Filthy McFaddens
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:56 am
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Things are getting better, we (grain) seem to be spending less time in loops than we used to. I'd say as more of the loops get up and running, and the controllers get used to and gain confidence with them it'll get better.
The worst part of the whole exercise is where ever they've put concrete sleepers in they've scoured under the trackbed and have caused huge mud holes.
Dave Malcolm
DRIVER, PN CMD
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M636C
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Aug 18, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:59 am
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The Melboune Sydney XPT was only about ten minutes late on Saturday at Gunning. It was often half an hour to an hour late.
The new loops and the improved main line track are probably contributing to reducing delays.
A big improvement should be seen in summer when there will be no requirement for heat related restrictions on the single track section or on much of the down main elsewhere, due to resleepering with concrete.
M636C
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alltrainzfan
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Sep 19, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: At Many of Places Yet Nowhere
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 3:58 pm
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I saw some statistics saying that the improvements to the Sydney to Melbourne line will allow:
* 7 hours one way by passenger train (XPT)
* 10 hours one way by freight train
(don't count on me for those statistics - that's why I think I read somewhere, but I'm sure they are wrong quite a bit)
But indeed, if the times are to be cut down by around 2 hours, a late running time of 10 minutes instead of half an hour is still quite a long way from 2 hours cut down. Must be all the level crossing restrictions and the ongoing trackwork?
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M636C
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Aug 18, 2005
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:48 pm
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| Fireman Dave wrote: | Things are getting better, we (grain) seem to be spending less time in loops than we used to. I'd say as more of the loops get up and running, and the controllers get used to and gain confidence with them it'll get better.
The worst part of the whole exercise is where ever they've put concrete sleepers in they've scoured under the trackbed and have caused huge mud holes. |
The method of pushing the sleepers out and back in with an excavator will neccessarily upset the ballast but it shouldn't affect the track bed.
I noticed bad pumping on the down just south of the road bridge at Gunning, but Gunning has long suffered from pumping, despite the fairly spectacular rebuilding of the whole yard a couple of years ago with massive emphasis on drainage.
I haven't seen the problem everywhere the technique was used, but you do wonder why the none of the several purpose built tracklayers were not used, rather than renting every excavator of that size in Australia and using them in teams of eight spread out over a kilometre or so.
The excavator method does allow restricted running on both lines by moving the excavators out of the way, not an option with a pupose built tracklayer - but there are a few around not being used on this project.
M636C
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crypticone
Train Controller
Joined: Oct 16, 2003
Last Visited: Nov 30, 2008
Location: Blue Mtns
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Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:15 pm
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They are using excavators in a PRS type situation as $ are critical, Track Laying machines cost a lot and need possessions or windows, excavators can work ATP.
Some situations will require the use of a Track Layer though, but where ever possible side insertion is much much cheaper.
One wonders how the ballast bed is as they just put the same old ballast back in, and cover it all up, $ are critical for this as well, and possibly ballast cleaning may come later, it would be a shame to see all of this good work turn into mud holes and speed's.
Cheers
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Fireman Dave
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: Probably Filthy McFaddens
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:22 am
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| crypticone wrote: | They are using excavators in a PRS type situation as $ are critical, Track Laying machines cost a lot and need possessions or windows, excavators can work ATP.
Some situations will require the use of a Track Layer though, but where ever possible side insertion is much much cheaper. |
The track layer that's been sitting in Junee yard for the last few years (yes it has been that long) doing nothing must be costing someone a small fortune.
| crypticone wrote: | One wonders how the ballast bed is as they just put the same old ballast back in, and cover it all up, $ are critical for this as well, and possibly ballast cleaning may come later, it would be a shame to see all of this good work turn into mud holes and speed's.
Cheers |
They'd want to do something very soon. It was quite good far a few weeks, but it's rapidly turning to $hit.
Dave Malcolm
DRIVER, PN CMD
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perwaynut
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Sep 04, 2005
Last Visited: Aug 28, 2008
Location: In the Land of the Mighty Hawks, and our favourite footy President Jeff
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:58 pm
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One thing to know about concrete sleepers is that it tends to concentrate the loads imposed on the ballast and formation/subgrade.
So one of the risks of installing concrete in poor ballast conditions is that you will start to find all the weak spots with mud pumping the result.
Timber is more forgiving of poor track condition that concrete. Timber spread the load of a wheel over about 6-7 sleepers, concrete only about 3-4 sleepers.
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wongm
Minister for Railways
Joined: May 26, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 26, 2008
Location: Geelong, Victoria
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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:43 am
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| Fireman Dave wrote: | | The worst part of the whole exercise is where ever they've put concrete sleepers in they've scoured under the trackbed and have caused huge mud holes. |
On the Victorian side they have some 40 km/h speed restrictions, and you can easily see the rails dipping downward.
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Fireman Dave
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Last Visited: Dec 1, 2008
Location: Probably Filthy McFaddens
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Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 2:33 pm
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| wongm wrote: | | Fireman Dave wrote: | | The worst part of the whole exercise is where ever they've put concrete sleepers in they've scoured under the trackbed and have caused huge mud holes. |
On the Victorian side they have some 40 km/h speed restrictions, and you can easily see the rails dipping downward. |
Tell me about it. It seems alot worse than just the change from timber to concrete.
Dave Malcolm
DRIVER, PN CMD
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