SYDNEY-CANBERRA-MELBOURNE HIGH SPEED TRAIN OPTIONS

The paper reviews upgrading proposals to reduce Melbourne-Sydney freight train transit times. This project included computer simulation by Samrom of trains moving over the existing 940 km Dynon-Chullora track. These results show that the running time for a standard superfreighter with 2600 tonnes trailing load hauled by two 4000 HP locomotives moving over the existing track will nearly 12 hours but the same train moving over an upgraded route with three major deviations would take about 10 hours, with a fuel saving of about 10 percent. Coupled with a spur to North Canberra, the upgraded track could allow, with modest powered tilt trains, 2.5 hour Sydney-Canberra, 6.5 hour Sydney-Melbourne and 4.5 hour Canberra-Melbourne train services. This paper has drawn attention to the capacity of well designed re-alignments to reduce times and has identified some the aspects operating cost reductions. The Network Audit Report has shown that faster and more reliable freight transit times can result in significant reversal of market share loss, further enhancing the benefits of improving the main line alignments. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E209537.

• Corporate Authors:

  Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics, Australia

  GPO Box 501
  Canberra, ACT  Australia  2601
• Authors:
  • Laird, P
  • MICHELL, M
  • ADORNI-BRACCESI, G
• Conference:
  • AUSTRALASIAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH FORUM (ATRF), 25TH, 2002, CANBERRA, ACT, AUSTRALIA
• Publication Date: 2002

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 12 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alignment; Conferences; Freight transportation; High speed ground transportation; High speed vehicles; Logistics; Mathematical models; Railroad tracks; Railroad trains; Railroad transportation; Speed; Travel time; Trip length
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 2894: Alignment; 8006: Australia; 8525: Conference; 1112: Freight transport; 1163: High speed; 697: Journey time; 264: Logistics; 6473: Mathematical model; 1173: Rail bound transport; 1062: Railway track; 1268: Train
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00967415
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 13 2004 12:00AM