tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074654920193695267.post8135600226481090256..comments2023-12-24T12:05:31.362+11:00Comments on BYLONG: Prototypical Train Load DeterminationRay Phttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16624865987062727847noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074654920193695267.post-64334140508267210612014-01-15T14:31:31.754+11:002014-01-15T14:31:31.754+11:00Ray,
Many thanks for making both spreadsheets ava...Ray,<br /><br />Many thanks for making both spreadsheets available. Both were downloaded without difficulty.<br /><br />The load calculator in particular is going to mean a rethink of long standing operations.<br /><br />cheers PhilPhil Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14268733501548280685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9074654920193695267.post-18539575418524569022014-01-15T12:40:28.515+11:002014-01-15T12:40:28.515+11:00Ray. The primary & best place to look for loa...Ray. The primary & best place to look for loads is in the Working Time Tables, these came out more frequently, showing changes to loads, & train working conditions, much more reliable & easier to keep updated.<br />Updated loads & conditions also came out in depot affected weekly General orders as well as the State wide Weekly notices.<br />The load of a double header while slightly less than that of 2 combined single engines, depended more on the added length of the train rather than the actual load itself, which took the amount of curves & train drag into account. Another point was that it was quite possible by adding an extra wagon to the load, the train was then overloaded.<br />The WTT gave loads, for individual sections over the length of the whole line, with general ruling grade made that making up the through load. Also found was the length limits for single & doubles, another consideration was the length of crossing loops.<br />Another aspect was momentum grades that allowed for more than the standard load to be taken. Heavier loads were taken from Hornsby - Broadmeadow than from Enfield to Hornsby Eg: & IIRC, a freighter was allowed 360tons Enfield - Hornsby but 390 from Hornsby. Tumulla, Molong – Oge & Ardglen had the same loads as those from Enfield – Hornsby.<br />The 75% load was maximum & no more of the full through load used for accelerated running of old fruit expresses when the train consisted of 4 wheelers, it was primarily meant for faster grade climbs hill grade in order to keep the speed up. <br />The best example found on the west from Lithgow to Orange, with the influx of 36cl to the area & removal of the freighters almost all through trains were listed in the WTT's as 75% loads.<br />The reason was to simplify/standardise rostering of engines, set loads were compiled that allowed for single running times for the goods trains, with all running to 36cl running times & loads. For freighters they worked up the grades at the same speed as a pig.<br />The benefit of this arrangement beyond Lithgow was that when a steam service was programmed for any load single or double header all the trains needed to be made up based only on that load & not of the engine type as it did not matter whether it was a freighter or pig or combo of the two. In these cases, the Pig led owing to operational reasons, when doubled with a freighter.<br />Rear end banking was not permited on passenger trains, some noteable exceptions, but not on mixed trains, empty 4 wheel stock wagons, which had to be located at the rear.<br />When working double headers, I would not say there was anything to do with drivers ineficiences or crews at all, & really is a put down of the men who labored on the engines. <br />Every time crews worked a double header there was always a confab between the drivers regarding the trip ahead, rarely did it mean any adjustments to the standard drivers way to drive the engine & train. If either crew needed to communicate it was done with the whistle to attract attention of the other, usually meant to slow down or crack the whip, these were known hand signals that could be seen from cab to cab. Smooth working of the train did not depend on the aspect of single or double heading but on the train composition. We felt it just as much up front as did the guard if the train had been made up badly. <br />When composing trains, I have worked more on the length based NSWGR form of an S truck is a single wagon, while every other wagon is listed compared to it, Eg: K is 1.2, BWH & early bogie vehicles are 2. Initially I worked on having a load of around 30 S trucks & van, with loops around 2.4 metres, but a train that long looked far too long. I changed the loops bringing back to 2mtrs in clearance which looks quite ok. This allows for train lengths of around 23 S trucks & single loco, without problems.<br />In modelling the adage of less is more, really comes true & your 57cl load shows that up well.<br /><br />Cheers<br />ColColin Husseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10166476334786660482noreply@blogger.com