The Great Journey South: XPT from Brisbane to The Border Loop
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- Опубліковано 8 січ 2014
- / noofnooflikestrains
Filmed over 3 years, this compilation shows the XPT's journey from Roma Street Station the Border Loop, and a few places in between: Merivale Bridge, South Brisbane, South Bank, Gloucester Street, Park Road, Yeronga, Yeerongpilly, and Acacia Ridge. - Авто та транспорт
I remember when I was young my father and i used to ride along with a driver we new in the cabin. We'd go from casino to Brisbane then back to casino I still remember going through the border loop and Brisbane city, as a young fella truly amazing experience life long memories :)
Was that on an XPT or it's predecessor?
Xpt
Daniel Patch What a treat. You were a lucky lad, am envious.
To all those people criticising the speed of the XPT (Express Passenger Train), I hope you know these trains are quite fast when they get the chance.
I did notice that when I traveled on it.
I like the leisurely way they are driven through the many curves and speed restrictions; seems very fuel efficient. I also like how they start to roll before increasing the engine speed when pulling away, again the efficient way to do it.
Due to the larger gradients the XPT traction motors are geared lower (than IC125) to climb the hills hence the lower design maximum speed of 160 Km/h.
I'm so glad that there are so many videos of XPT with all the talk of replacing it (I don't suppose I'll ever get to go on one myself).
They can do 160km/h, but they rarely get the chance. Sometimes they're fitted wheels that limit them to 130km/h, not that that makes much difference. They're in the process of being replaced, but the government has ignored suggestions that the replacements should be tilt trains to provide shorter duration journeys even if still limited to 160km/h.
Really, the government would prefer to scrap these services completely, given that they need a significant subsidy, but political considerations prevent it. So they go for the cheapest option.
@@sylviaelse5086 maybe nsw should look at qld with there tilt trains where they can do the speeds of 160 and faster
@@robertchinnock8017 Before the contracts were let for the regional rail replacement trains, I did some analysis, and send it to the candidate MPs for regions for the then pending NSW state elections. I showed that a tilt rail on the existing track, and still limited to 160km/h, could take two hours off the journey from Sydney to Armidale, provided something is done about the many unprotected private rail crossings (I provided a proposal for that as well based on a fail-safe radio system).
I also drew the Government's attention.
I only got one response, from a Labor candidate, who was not elected.
Basically, I don't think politicians care about this, and services are maintained at the minimum level commensurate with avoiding claims that politicians are abandoning the bush. Improving services would just increase demand, and require higher subsidies.
Contracts were let for non-tilt trains that can go slightly faster than the existing Xplorer trains, and no faster at all than the existing XPTs.
Just love the gauge change..
Great video
A bit weird to see route signalling, AWS and dual gauge track together with a very familiar design...lovely vid.
I love watching them heading to Brisbane late in the afternoon on a open track travelling quiet quickly without the main or no lights on. The difficulty of seeing them coming at you as you approach a level crossing is frustrating. I always wonder if the passengers know these XPT travel at high speeds with no front lights on for the road users to see the coming. What saftey is in this for the general public on the train and on the ground
Nice work Noofy!. A few early mornings there I see!. Bit hard now with the stupid early departure time?
Cheers Gregg
Very good video compilation. The sad thing these days is that the XPT's are poorly maintained, both mechanically and interior also, which is very unusual for State owned NSW trains, but as contractors are often used instead of the "old" system of railway staff actually doing it, what can anyone expect? Safety has also been an issue, in fact, an XPT set uncoupled itself, literally hanging on by the brake hoses in Victoria. The state of the track got part of the blame, but modern trains, even on undulating tracks, are not supposed to detach. There is a full report on the Australian Transport Safety website. The ASTB are open and transparent in their investigations, as they have no "vested interests", unlike Queensland Transport, who investigate Queensland Rail incidents, and only report parts of the investigations they CHOOSE to the public, and are far from open and transparent, and good at protecting their "mates" at QR.
Cool video was that all on the same day
I see the UK have shared the power car designs with you!
Yes! Got quite a bit of modification, though!
Have done the XPT as a bit of novelty once! and have also done Sydney/Melbourne XPT!
These passenger trains are not fast as their name makes out. But they exist more so for the communities and towns in between Brisbane-Sydney & Sydney-Melbourne. The Locals in the capitals will always book a plane first!
Nice upload, do the xpt have Valenta engines or have they been re engined?
Here in the UK it's all the reverse of that! You'll only book a flight here if you've either been labotomised first or are a sucker for punishment. The trains are much quicker than air. Our equivalent to your xpt, the hst, really does do the business, and regularly sees speeds around 200kph(125 mph)
It's also worth mentioning that our trains are slower, but also on top of that, the distances between cities are much greater than in the UK.
joe sprinter they originally had Valentas. But now used VP185s.
Due to the tracks in nsw arent good enough for the xpt to do 160kph plus due to heat moving the tracks thru the summer... i think its time countrylink start looking at qld with there tilt trains where at times they sit between 160 and 170kph
do these have the paxman velenta engine's in them like the british one's had before they got changed to the mtu
Originally Paxman Valenta then changed to Paxman VP185 around 2000 I believe. Australia never further upgraded the power cars to state of the art low emission Diesels by MTU, I think because of the unreliabiliy of only having two power cars XPT is going to be replaced with Diesel Electric Multiple Units (DEMU) from CAF of Spain in about 2023 which will probably have a Diesel engine per car. In the UK the IC125 on one power car can go up to about 110 mph (177 km/h) on level track and usually complete the journey but in Australia a failed power car often means a total train failure due to the large gradients. Using DEMUs increases the redunancy and therefore the reliability.
Check out `XPT by COMENG' here on UA-cam if interested in the history of the train.
dual gauge track-A legacy of the parochialism of the 19th century.
MR Kim is funny Airplane Clown.
At those speeds it's probably still on its way.
The design of the fastest passenger diesel locomotive ever made, reduced to what, about max. 50mph?
AttaboyIII The XPT's top "restricted" speed is 160kph (100mph) It was designed to have a cruising speed of 200kp/h (125mph) and has been clocked at that during the original testing to the same as the HST. Not because it isn't capable to do high speeds, It's due to the tracks they ride on which are by far not as carpet smooth or straight as the European railways in order to keep the constant speed. That's why we didn't end up with an "Off the Shelf" HST, As they had to be built with our specifications for our conditions. The HST and XPT are both great trains but built for 2 very different environments, Comparing the 2 is like comparing chalk and cheese their polar opposites.
+KJ-Verada VR-Xi The traction motors on XPT are geared lower than the IC125 to enable XPT to cope with the larger gradients in Australia so XPT has a design speed of 160 km/h (99.4 mph) instead of the IC125's 125 mph (201 km/h). Nothing to be ashamed of just two different trains designed to cope with different conditions.
+Martindyna As I said in the last sentence of my last comment "The HST and XPT are both great trains but built for 2 very different environments, Comparing the 2 is like comparing chalk and cheese" I'm actually going to the UK next year and that's the first thing I'll be doing is having a ride on the HST, As that's the good thing about having British and Australian heritage (Mums side of the family are all British and moved from the UK to Australia in 1968 and Dad's side are Australian) I can appreciate both for what they are even if at currant I do tend to lean towards the XPT since I'm a regular on it, But once I go on the HST I can personally see the same initial modular concept adapted for both the Australian requirements and the HST adapted for the British requirement even though they share the same family tree core roots they are two very different beasts.
+KJ-Verada VR-Xi I was actually gently disagreeing with your statement that XPT has a
design cruising speed of 125 MPH (according to Wikipedia the record top
speed is 120 MPH).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_XPT
If you do get to go on the IC125 I strongly recommend you either buy 1st class tickets or upgrade to 1st class on the train (upgrading on the train is possible at weekends only I believe for GBP 20 each way). I say this because you will be dissapointed in 2nd class since First Great Western has installed aircraft syle seats for maximum seat density that do not allow a good view out of the windows. In contrast in 1st class you get nice leather seats traditionally positioned & picture windows to view the often beautiful countryside on the trip from London to Penzance (via the famous Dawlish seaside run). Also in 1st class you are nearer the buffet car. I don't know how you're going to order your tickets but be aware that unless you order well in advance the tickets will be expensive (unless there is some special deal for tourists I'm not aware of).
I haven't been on XPT but from what I've seen it looks to have really good accomodation & good sleeping berths (there being no sleeping facilities on the IC125).
+Martindyna What people tend not to realise is yes the XPT has been officially clocked at 200kph, BUT it is limited to the 140kph line speed and 160kph in the best spots, Not because it is unable to reach its designed cruising speed but it can't sustain it due to the poor track conditions. The government refuses to invest in the actual rail infrastructure, A lot of Sydney's trains are capable of high speeds but are unable to do so due to the poor tracks they ride on. If the government actually invested in the actual rail system not just rolling stock and signage then the XPT will be able to do it's designed cruising speed. As its proved it can do it but due to the actual rails it can't, Put it on British tracks boom watch it take off and try to keep up and the HST is fast but put it on Australian tracks and it'll be slowed right down. It's not the trains fault it's the tracks they ride on.
Itrddffff