Rail held back by track

Buzz Killington · August 30, 2009, 04:42:04 PM

ail held back by track
BY LOUIS ANDREWS
30/08/2009 11:49:00 AM

FLYING is quicker, catching a bus is cheaper and driving can be more convenient.

And with only 1300 people a week using the train for a trip to Sydney, it appears our snail rail is not catching on.

The ACT Government's proposal to shunt the Kingston railway station east to make way for development has sparked a debate about the role of rail in the capital.

It takes four hours and 20 minutes to traverse the Canberra-Sydney corridor. For some Canberrans riding the rails is a labour of love. Stalwarts such as Irene Clarke, 80, will take the railway over the highway without fail.

''It's peaceful and you can see the countryside ... I think it's wonderful,'' Mrs Clarke said as she prepared to board the noon train.

But ANU urban policy expert Patrick Troy said the Canberra-Sydney train trip could take just two hours, if not for jurisdictional buck-passing and infrastructure mismanagement.

The XPT trains operating across the eastern seaboard were based on the British 125s, so named because they could travel at 125 miles per hour, Professor Troy said.

But on legs such as Queanbeyan to Goulburn the track is too poor for the XPTs to reach their potential, he said.

''They couldn't ever take them much above 40km/h on the line between Canberra and Goulburn because the track was so poor,'' he said.

The Canberra Times

Trolleybusracer · August 30, 2009, 05:24:04 PM

These days the XPT is lucky to touch 125km Let alone 125 Miles!!!!!!

Irisbus Rider · August 30, 2009, 05:31:03 PM

I was under the impression the XPL cars reached 130km/h between Canberra and Goulburn? The only place they'd do 40km/h is Molonglo Gorge!
And why is the article talking about the XPT at all? The XPT hasn't entered the ACT for about 15 years!
Honestly, this sounds like it came out of the Daily Telegraph, not the Canberra Times!

Although, it does raise an issue that it takes too long to get from Canberra to Sydney using rail.

ajw373 · August 30, 2009, 06:02:56 PM

Quote from: Irisbus Rider on August 30, 2009, 05:31:03 PM
I was under the impression the XPL cars reached 130km/h between Canberra and Goulburn? The only place they'd do 40km/h is Molonglo Gorge!
And why is the article talking about the XPT at all? The XPT hasn't entered the ACT for about 15 years!
Honestly, this sounds like it came out of the Daily Telegraph, not the Canberra Times!

Although, it does raise an issue that it takes too long to get from Canberra to Sydney using rail.

Average speed is what is important not maximum speeds. Even when they had the tilt train it still took far too long. For rail to be viable the whole line needs to be replaced.

Maybe we need to look to the UK again and what they are doing with HS1. HS1 differs from French TGV lines in that it is a mixed use line. HS1 has Eurostars running at 300km/h, domestic high speed trains running about 200km/h and is also capable of freight use. Though to due high access costs freight hasn't made it to the tracks. Something like this is required to replace the whole Sydney-Melbourne line, through Canberra of course.

smitho · August 30, 2009, 06:48:17 PM

There are two things which could be done to speed up Canberra rail passenger services (and were supposed to have been done 10 to 15 years ago) by at least half an hour, and which wouldn't cost much, if any, $s

(1) Replace the existing 19th century safeworking system (which requires long stops at Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Tarago while they 'exchange electric staffs') with a modern form of on-train Train Order Working system as was supposed to happen in the early 1990s
(2) Run Canberra-Sydney trains into Sydney Central via the East Hills line.

Together, these could take between 30 and 45 minutes off the schedule. Then reducing the number of stops in the Highlands could save another 10-15 minutes.

When the Swedish Tilt Train was on trial here in the mid 90s, they got the running time down to a little over 3 hours using both these measures, and the Goulburn-Canberra track was in worse condition then than it is now.

Trolleybusracer · August 30, 2009, 08:08:53 PM

They never used the Tilt train cab, it was pulled by a XPT Power car

ajw373 · August 30, 2009, 08:11:26 PM

Quote from: Trolleybusracer on August 30, 2009, 08:08:53 PM
They never used the Tilt train cab, it was pulled by a XPT Power car

True, but what does that have to do with the price of eggs? The train was operated in tilt mode, simple as that.

ajw373 · August 30, 2009, 08:12:41 PM

Quote from: smitho on August 30, 2009, 06:48:17 PM
There are two things which could be done to speed up Canberra rail passenger services (and were supposed to have been done 10 to 15 years ago) by at least half an hour, and which wouldn't cost much, if any, $s

(1) Replace the existing 19th century safeworking system (which requires long stops at Queanbeyan, Bungendore and Tarago while they 'exchange electric staffs') with a modern form of on-train Train Order Working system as was supposed to happen in the early 1990s
(2) Run Canberra-Sydney trains into Sydney Central via the East Hills line.

Together, these could take between 30 and 45 minutes off the schedule. Then reducing the number of stops in the Highlands could save another 10-15 minutes.

When the Swedish Tilt Train was on trial here in the mid 90s, they got the running time down to a little over 3 hours using both these measures, and the Goulburn-Canberra track was in worse condition then than it is now.

All well and good, but even 3 hours is not competative enough to make people change from bus, car or plane. Sub 2 hours there is half a chance.

route56 · August 30, 2009, 10:31:29 PM

they need to do several things to make rail more passenger friendly.

1 - the entire nsw stretch from albury to sydney needs to be replaced. survey a route for high speed train, ensuring it travels via yass, canberra, goulburn.

2 - triple track - let fast passenger trains overtake freight.

3 - comfortable seats. even first class seats are uncomfortable.

Trolleybusracer · August 30, 2009, 10:44:52 PM

there was to be a fast rai lline to brisbane via sydney yass etc. it was scrapped

ajw373 · August 31, 2009, 06:05:12 PM

Quote from: Trolleybusracer on August 30, 2009, 10:44:52 PM
there was to be a fast rai lline to brisbane via sydney yass etc. it was scrapped

There was a proposal and talk, that is all.

Lockie · August 31, 2009, 06:59:52 PM

How about some real rail?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen

smitho · August 31, 2009, 07:19:16 PM

Quote from: ajw373 on August 30, 2009, 08:12:41 PM
All well and good, but even 3 hours is not competative enough to make people change from bus, car or plane. Sub 2 hours there is half a chance.

I wouldn't argue about that - all I was saying is that you slice 25% off existing times for very little cost....that would make rail at least competitive with bus travel times.