What do the CAFs have that the VLo/Explo designs not have?

What do the CAFs have that the VLo/Explo designs not have?

1. diesel electric traction instead of diesel hydraulic
2. They can run on the overhead in Sydney.
3. The xplorer / vlo has 2 engines per carriage whereas the new regional trains have 2 engines per 3 carriages.
4. The new CAF doesn't have a smoke stack where a window should be.
5. Aluminium alloy instead of stainless steel construction.
6. A single 6 car configuration in addition to a 3 car configuration.

VLocity have one engine per car.

Any idea what these new CAF trains will weigh?

There’s nothing new about diesel-electric for railcars. One 1928 example (1950s for the purist):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_Electric_railmotor_(VR)


One reason for diesel-hydraulic (and other parts) is commonality with the current VLocitys.

The only significant sections that electric traction could currently be used in Victoria are Sunshine – Sunbury (26km) and Melbourne – Pakenham (58 km), about 7% of the total route mileage and none of it on the SG. Hardly worth the unnecessary weight and extra maintenance of dual-mode. Any future electrification is likely to be 25 kV AC, although presumably the CAF design could be upgraded to run on both voltages.

For clarity, the VLocity has only one prime mover per carriage. Failure of one engine in a 3-car set means 66% power.  2 engines per 3 carriages means only 50% power in the event of an engine failure

Any idea what these new CAF trains will weigh?

Probably a lot less then the Xplorer's 57 tonnes per carriage. I'm not sure how much the vlocity weighs and maybe someone can provide that information. One of the carriages is a trailer on the new CAF fleet as well.

When indoubt simstrain, get an appointment with Dr Google...........

https://www.vlinecars.com/2019/02/vlocity-train-weight.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V/Line_VLocity

BigShunter.

VLocity have one engine per car.

It has 2 engines per car. One for driving the train and one for generating electricity.

VLO 3 car set, --- Top speed 210kph, de-scaled to 160kph

VLO 3 car set, --- Top speed 210kph, de-scaled to 160kph

Ive always had a problem with this sort of thinking.  Nowhere in the country can a train do 210kph so why do we get trains that are capable of this and derate them?  Why not get a train that is designed to do the track speed that it has to work with instead of pretend that track upgrades are going to happen in the life of the train?  Surely the extra speed rating costs extra in the design?

VLocity have one engine per car.

It has 2 engines per car. One for driving the train and one for generating electricity.

Since we are being so enamoured with your superior CAF, how about you actually consider performance?

VLO 3 car set, 3 x 559kw engines, plus  3 auxiliary for lights, heat, cool etc. Top speed 210kph, de-scaled to 160kph

CAF 3 car set, 2 x 523kw engines, For everything Full Stop.  Top speed 160 kph (desiel mode), 121kph (electric mode).

I wonder which I'd rather climb hills.

cheers
John

Not sure where you got your 523kw engine from. The engine in the CAF is a 22 litre MTU unit producing over 700kw. The CAF carriages are lighter and more likely to be closer to 40-45 tonne rather then the 56-60 of the xplorer / vlocity. The CAF unit is using an electric motor which makes it better for climbing hills. The vlocity and the new CAF are or will be rated for 160km/h in service operation even in electric mode for the CAF. As for the actual top speed of the CAF we do not know yet what it is capable of.

EDIT: I forgot about regenerative braking and the battery packs which means the CAF can accelerate without the power pack revving to the same levels as the old xplorer and vlocity.

VLocity have one engine per car.

It has 2 engines per car. One for driving the train and one for generating electricity.

Since we are being so enamoured with your superior CAF, how about you actually consider performance?

VLO 3 car set, 3 x 559kw engines, plus  3 auxiliary for lights, heat, cool etc. Top speed 210kph, de-scaled to 160kph

CAF 3 car set, 2 x 523kw engines, For everything Full Stop.  Top speed 160 kph (desiel mode), 121kph (electric mode).

I wonder which I'd rather climb hills.

cheers
John

Not sure where you got your 523kw engine from. The engine in the CAF is a 22 litre MTU unit producing over 700kw. The CAF carriages are lighter and more likely to be closer to 40-45 tonne rather then the 56-60 of the xplorer / vlocity. The CAF unit is using an electric motor which makes it better for climbing hills. The vlocity and the new CAF are or will be rated for 160km/h in service operation even in electric mode for the CAF. As for the actual top speed of the CAF we do not know yet what it is capable of.

EDIT: I forgot about regenerative braking and the battery packs which means the CAF can accelerate without the power pack revving to the same levels as the old xplorer and vlocity.

Not sure where you got your 523kw engine from. The engine in the CAF is a 22 litre MTU unit producing over 700kw. The CAF carriages are lighter and more likely to be closer to 40-45 tonne rather then the 56-60 of the xplorer / vlocity. The CAF unit is using an electric motor which makes it better for climbing hills. The vlocity and the new CAF are or will be rated for 160km/h in service operation even in electric mode for the CAF. As for the actual top speed of the CAF we do not know yet what it is capable of.

EDIT: I forgot about regenerative braking and the battery packs which means the CAF can accelerate without the power pack revving to the same levels as the old xplorer and vlocity.

Best check with those using CAF elsewhere, for example in UK the acronym CAF has quickly earned a reputation of Cheap As F**k...

The solar train in Byron Bay is a perfect example of how you can modernise older rolling stock. They replaced the transmission with an electric motor and removed one of the engines from the 620 class.