NW-Mailing-List Digest, Vol 30, Issue 83

[NW Mailing List]

> My focus is on the bottom-line realities of hauling heavy trains at high speeds. There is a genuine economic function for them, currently precluded by the high costs of diesels. Not only do they improve customer service, but they make the physical plant and rolling stock more productive. 

> 

> Let's see if 1218 can do 60 mph or more with a 7500 ton train, as the Class A has been reported to do since an early test, and numerous times since then. 




Maximum track speed for freights is 50, and only on specific sections of track, and intermodals is 60, again only on specific sections of track... average track speed is much lower given terrain, turnouts etc...  It's all fine and dandy to see if the 1218 will haul 7500 at 60mph vs three SD70s on certain tangents between Williamson-Portsmouth, but a real test in terms of economic realites would be need to have  higher tonnage trains (current axle loadings have four-axle cars at 143 tons a piece...) and include all kinds of serivce... say a 9000 ton intermodal from Norfolk-Chicago, then a 6000 ton manifest to Chicago-Roanoke, then a 7000 ton coal empty Roanoke-Williamson, then a 21450 ton export coal Williamson-Norfolk.  Sure, you can build a steam locomitve that can do one, maybe two... but you'll never build one that can do them all, the pitfall of not being able to apply full horsepower at any speed.  
 
Robb Fisher
RFDI