Nationwide Electrification

4001firstdiesel · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:09 pm

Greetings all,

During 2009, Australia overtook the US' pollution levels on a per capita basis. This country is fairly car dependent, a situation which is partially brought about by the vast distances we have to contend with.

Many other nations have established fully electrified rail networks that create better interchangeability between the various systems. Look at Switzerland and Germany. ICE services are capable of operating through these two, the only requirement being the need to switch crews.

Has nationwide electrification ever been debated or proposed for Australia Question

. I am aware that various offers of Federal funding have been made in past decades, although these were only for state based projects such as the plan to erect the wires beyond Campbelltown in New South Wales during 1983.

Should the Commonwealth consider it Question

. In my opinion, yes. Fossil fuels are not about to decrease in price any time soon or be restored to levels that former generations revelled in. In fact, there'll be none remaining in under 20 years. And yet the world continues to waste them as though there is no tomorrow

What might the cost of this project be Question

. Probably substantial, although ultimately the long term benefits would outweigh the financial expense. Unfortunately, governments merely consider beyond the three years they have before the next election is scheduled.

Which types of rollingstock would be appropriate Question

. I was thinking that something similar to the ICE sets in Germany might do, provided it underwent modifications to suit the significantly different operating conditions here. There is always the alternative of constructing electric locos and passenger cars.

Regards,
Ben

Trams are the way forward

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Nightfire · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:29 pm

Where a re you going to find all the power to keep all the overhead energized ?

Austraila needs to stop stuffing around with different rail gauges and all go Stephenson Standard 4'8 1/2"(1435mm)

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11348201.htm

4001firstdiesel · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:35 pm

Kafoopsy · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:35 pm

The remoteness and distance of outback regions means that there will never be total electrification. Catenery and power costs would be enormous. It would make more sense to electrify the east coast, but even that would cost squillions. Then there is the problem of the bother of changing locos at the junction between electric and non electric lines blah blah (which I believe was part of the reason the NSW 86 classes weren't as successful as they might have been).
And the twisty nature of most rail lines in Australia (and the fact that cars keep jumping in front of trains means that trains such as the ICE wouldn't be feasable.
I personally think more focus should be on fixing the problem of cars. There are many technologies out there that can either replace internal combution engines (compressed air engines) or drastically reduce fuel consumption (vapour fuel engines) but I fear that as long as there is lots of money to be made in oil, there will never be any major improvements to car engines.
Apart from improving cars, more effort should be put into improving public transport, both trains and busses.

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fast01 · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:46 pm

4001firstdiesel · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:48 pm

Nightfire · Posted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:01 pm

Queensland doesn't really set a good example for mainline electrification with their Nambour - Gladstone 25 KV electrified line only used by a handful of trains a day (all passenger)

Austraila needs to stop stuffing around with different rail gauges and all go Stephenson Standard 4'8 1/2"(1435mm)

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11348201.htm

simonl · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 10:25 am

It was looked at in the 1980s I believe, from Sydney to Melbourne. Thank god that they didn't do it as it would have been sending good money after bad, and they would be taking them down by now due to lack of use. What they need is full duplication, straightenning of curves, the SSFL and maybe some grade easing. If that's done first, then maybe, possibly, traffic could rise to a level which could justify electrification.

Electrifying the Hunter Valley coal network would make much more sense.

Athol · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:42 pm

Nightfire · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 12:57 pm

GrahamH · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 2:24 pm

4001firstdiesel · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:56 pm

nm39 · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:12 pm

DalyWaters · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 5:18 pm

Surely you need to look at train frequency to justify electrification. On that basis, the coal drags of the Hunter Valley ought to be a lay down misere.

In Victoria, the hourly train services to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour and Traralgon should see them put on the "to be done" list.

Before these interurban lines are done, the suburban systems of Melbourne and Sydney should be started on the track to convert from DC to 25 kV AC. This may seem a difficult task but the new Bombadier combined AC, DC and diesel powered units would make it all a lot easier.

It seems the fact that we have abundant coal and, therefore, use it for our electricity, is becoming an excuse not to electrify rail lines on the basis of the pollution caused. Its a poor state of affairs.

4001firstdiesel · Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2009 7:56 pm