IRFCA Mailing List Archive


Messages 9221 - 9240

From: Iain A Fraser <>

Subject: Re: Cyprus Railway

Date: 26 Oct 1999 13:47:08 -0500


Hi....

The Cyprus Govt railway was a fascinating system.....they had Kitson
4-8-4Ts to the Barsi design by Calthrop for example as well as many
other types....a very "British" colonial type system.

There was a book done many years ago...a very good one at
that..."Cyprus Govt Railways by Turner. Its now rare but if anyone
wants more info I have my own copy....or I will try to find one!

Cheers

Iain

Aerolite Booktraders(UK)
Railway Book Specialists
<A HREF="http://www.aerolite.u-net.com">http://www.aerolite.u-net.com</A>

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Re: Rack-equipped YDM4

Date: 26 Oct 1999 20:05:55 -0500


Apurva Bahadur wrote:

> Difficult but not impossible. Does the NMR need the full 1400 Hp of
the YDM
> 4 ? Or can the loco haul the rated load with four motors leaving the
center
> motor pair run rack wheel ?

The center motor would need to engage with the rack
on the track, and the axle could get in the way. Of
course the axle could be removed (hasn't something
similar been done to the WDM2 to create another class
of BG diesel ?), but that would considerably increase
the load on the remaining axles.

It seems to me that the easiest way to equip a YDM4
or a YAM1 for rack operation is to attach a special
"slug" to it (a second unit only with traction motors
mu-ed to the main loco), the traction motors on
which would work on the rack. This would not require
major modification on the main loco. I suppose a slug
(also called "calf" in the US) could be designed
on to a standard YDM4 frame, without cab and engine,
equipped with rack motors where the center axles on
the bogies are usually located.

Does any list member have access to a MG shed ? I would
have liked to take a look under a YDM4 to get an idea
about the traction arrangement.


--
JS
--

From: Mike Brooker <>

Subject: Re: Poona Light Rail

Date: 26 Oct 1999 20:06:00 -0500


>Nobody is talking about the technology yet. We are stuck at the
argument
whether
>the municipality can afford the Rs. 1400 Crores for the project. The
squabble is
>about the acquisition of land including some part of the Agricultural
college
>which is one of the largest areas of green cover in Pune. Frankly I am
worried
>if the Pune light railway were to get ahead. Pune is located in a
valley
formed
>by tall mountains from most directions. The ring railway would have to
run
at
>the base of these majestic peaks. Which also means that it would cross
pristine
>tracts of land with forest cover. A rail line in the midst of these
lands
would
>lead to population settling there. Invariably the high level of
corruption
and
>short sightedness for clear monetary objectives which comes with such
high
value
>projects. Invariably a lot of ecological sacrifices would be made in
the
name of
>progress and we would have the concrete slums of Mumbai here too. A few
places
>should be made inaccessible so that green cover remains on the land.
Just
the
>week before a large garbage dump was planned right in the middle of the
hill
>tracts by the same corporators.

If this Poona Light Railway is built, the green space likely will not be
much of an issue. One of my more unfortunate impressions of India was
that
environmental or ecological considerations don't seem to have a high
priority in a country of almost a billion people: Hindustan Ambassadors
and
Tata trucks spewing out exhaust emissions that would be illegal in North
America, raw sewage belching into the Ganges, deforestation in the
foothills
of Rishikesh, air in Ahmedabad that was so full of particulate matter
that
you could almost chew it, big blobs of paan on every street and
sidewalk,
etc.

I didn't have problems with the smog in Delhi or Bombay, but Ahmedabad
had
some of the worst quality air I ever attempted to breathe (or chew).

********************************************************************
Mike Brooker
99 Wychcrest Ave.,
Toronto, ON M6G 3X8
CANADA
(416) 536-7406
********************************************************************

From: Larry Russell <>

Subject: Re: GM-GE G12 model

Date: 26 Oct 1999 20:10:45 -0500


It would seem to make sense to start with an Alco model in the first
place and
then modify it. The G12 has almost nothing in common with the WDM2. Even
a GE
has more in common. The ideal thing would be to get a manufacurer
interrested
in making the model. There are other countries besides India that the
model
would would sell to (eg.: Peru)
Larry



Shanku Niyogi wrote:

> This website seems to imply that all these models, while being HO, are
also
> standard gauge (they seem to sell and use standard US Atlas HO track).
>
> G12s are a fairly common export of EMD - check out Larry's EMD export
page
> for details. But I'm not sure if G12s are the best place to start on a
WDM2.
> While it is true that there are some similarities, particularly with
the
> Brazilian G12s, there are also a lot of differences, including
significantly
> different trucks.
>
> It may be better to start with an Alco C-628 and pieces from an Alco
C-420
> and/or SD7/SD9 and go that route. I am considering trying this soon
> (although I am presently busy on a WAP1, and have an SD24 waiting to
be
> WDM4-ized).
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Zubin Lee [mailto:zubin.lee@vsnl.email
> Sent: Monday, October 25, 1999 9:40 PM
> To: irfca@cs.email
> Subject: GM-GE G12 model
>
> folks,
>
> i located a frateschi model of the G12. look up
> <A HREF="http://www.hobbymania.com.br/ferreo/G-12.htm">http://www.hobbymania.com.br/ferreo/G-12.htm</A> for more info. however,
the
> site is in spanish.
>
> ~zubin.

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Track Quality

Date: 26 Oct 1999 20:58:18 -0500


I went to Mumbai on Monday by the Shatabdi
Express, and was quite startled at the poor
ride on almost the entire route. It does not
seem surprising that the route is witness
to frequent derailments.

What are the best track stretches on IR ?
I remember good rides on the Bhopal-NDLS
CR stretch, and the Vadodara-NDLS WR
section. Are there any other sections on
par ?

--
JS
--

From: raymond/Polaris <>

Subject: Re: Track Quality

Date: 26 Oct 1999 21:54:10 -0500




Dear Jayant and gang,

I would say Agra Cantt. - Mathura, and Vadodara to Surat are my
favourites.
These are also basically straight stretches.

Regards

Raymond

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Rack-equipped YDM4

Date: 27 Oct 1999 00:39:57 -0500


> The center motor would need to engage with the rack
> on the track, and the axle could get in the way. Of
> course the axle could be removed (hasn't something
> similar been done to the WDM2 to create another class
> of BG diesel ?), but that would considerably increase
> the load on the remaining axles.

Yes, the center axle and motor is removed between WDM 2 and the super
ugly WDP 1.
How about attaching the rack pinion on the inside surface of the driving
wheel and
having the track rack just inboard of the rail. That way the only the
engineering
complexity of trying to mount the pinion in the center of the rails
would be
relieved. However to maintain either hood leading operation both the
wheels on an axle and both the rails would have to carry the rack and
pinion hardware. Or the rack YDM 4 loco would have to be driven strictly
in one direction (like strictly long hood leading in one direction).
Also the rack rail would have to be of a greater height than the main
rail, which is true in any case ? - fouling worries !
The slug is also a great idea. How much of power of the loco must be
used by the
rack engine ? If I remember correctly, the X class has smaller low
pressure
cylinders which run from the exhaust of the main cylinder. This points
to the rack
engine requiring a much smaller amount of power. It just provides a
surface to bite
on in the absence of adhesion. Thinking laterally from the X class
example, a slug
consisting of a concrete or steel weight on a single YDM 4 truck seems
good. The
truck may have the missing middle two motors from the main trucks. If we
could see
in the future, maybe this idea is not so bizarre after all.

Will the DHR benefit
from a rack section and is it a fact that the B class (or any steam
power) provides
better adhesion working than a NDM series power ?

I propose a joint trip of the Mumbai and Pune gang to have a look at the
Tambaram
MG shed for the YAM 1s. They are with us only for the next two maybe
three years.
IS Anand knows a lot of railway heavies in the SR at Chennai. So he
could help.

I suppose one can get access inside (and under the loco) provided a MG
shed exists
nearby. The nearest MG shed is Sabarmati/ Gandhidham/ Abu Road ? My
guess is that
the Guntakal shed is gone the BG way by now.

A few years ago Guntakal and Golden Rock used to provide all the YDM 4s
required in
the ENTIRE SR and SCR.

Apurva

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: IR mags backlog

Date: 27 Oct 1999 03:18:23 -0500


Hello,
IR mag inefficiency at its best: I've just received the May, June and
July issues of the IR mag. Received Sept last week and Aug the week
before. I was zapped to receive three issues at one go!!
The July issue has an mg dmu on the cover. The June issue has an ad
showing a BHEL built diesel under maintenance.
Taking a cue from Apurva, I will put up a website which will feature IR
clippings only. Usually pics from newspapers and mags. I might consider
adding another page for foreign railways as well.
(As the saying goes in Christian marriages: if anyone hath any objection
to what might be construed as my pinching Apurva's idea, PLEASE SPEAK
NOW, or forever hold your peace. (or words to that effect!)
Will work on it over the weekend.
Cheers.
Shankar

From: Jayant S <>

Subject: Re: Rack-equipped YDM4

Date: 27 Oct 1999 03:42:44 -0500


Apurva Bahadur wrote:

> ....However to maintain either hood leading operation both the
> wheels on an axle and both the rails would have to carry the rack and
> pinion hardware. Or the rack YDM 4 loco would have to be driven
strictly
> in one direction (like strictly long hood leading in one direction).
I don't think driving long hood leading should be a major drawback
on the rack sections: train speeds must be quite low. I am still
not sure how much space would be there on YDM4 axles for adding a
rack, but if any of us is near an MG section, one look under the
loco should tell us something. Fouling should not be an issue.
Maybe a rack only on one side would work, if there is place
on the axle for the pinion.

> How much of power of the loco must be used by the
> rack engine ? If I remember correctly, the X class has smaller low
> pressure cylinders which run from the exhaust of the main cylinder.
I am not familiar with the X-class, but I thought any
compound loco would have larger low-pressure cylinders ?
Power distribution between rack and adhesion should depend
on the gradient, I think, but I do not have the information
to do any rough reckoning on this. Axleload limits would need
to be considered if a special slug for a YDM4 is to be designed:
that would determine if a single truck would be adequate
or not. Asking SLM (or any appropriate supplier) to develop a rack
slug based on standard Swiss MG
rack equipment, controllable from a
standard YDM4, could well be far cheaper than a new class of steam
locomotive, or converting the route to electrification. Even
if we buy only power trucks from a supplier, the rest of the
slug can be developed in India.
I can think off the top of my head about a three-axled slug
with coupled wheels and one traction motor, something like
the WDS4 wheel arrangement. The traction motor would be
frame mounted, and pinions could be placed on the outermost
axles. Build ballast weights on this thing, and mu it to
a YDM4.....hmmmm.

> Will the DHR benefit
> from a rack section and is it a fact that the B class (or any steam
> power) provides
> better adhesion working than a NDM series power ?
According to Dr Walker, the DHR is already suffering from
slipping problems on severely graded sections. These could
theoretically benefit from rack addition, if the B-class can
also be modified. I am not sure how the tractive effort of
the NDM, and its axleload, compare against that of the
B-Class, which is what would influence adhesion. What
is the current status of motive power on the DHR anyway ?

> I propose a joint trip of the Mumbai and Pune gang to have a look at
the
> Tambaram MG shed for the YAM 1s.
Sounds good, and I hope I can make some time for this.
A stopover at NMR would also be a good idea, as I am
getting very curious about rack operation. The excellent
photos posted by one of our members (sorry I can't remember
your name offhand !) look very inviting also.

--
JS
--

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: IR mags backlog

Date: 27 Oct 1999 08:57:16 -0500


We work towards a common objective. There is nothing like 'pinching'
ideas. Please go
right ahead with your projects. That was one of the ideas - to put the
IR on the web.
It would be nice if you were to do that.
This is still Oct, right ? Hey, the Oct issue of the IR mag is already
here !!!!!
This is history being made. I have subscribed to this mag for the last
10 years and
this is the first time I am seeing the current month's issue within the
month end.

Apurva

"S.Shankar" wrote:

> Hello,
> IR mag inefficiency at its best: I've just received the May, June and
> July issues of the IR mag. Received Sept last week and Aug the week
> before. I was zapped to receive three issues at one go!!
> The July issue has an mg dmu on the cover.

From: PG JULIAN RAINBOW <>

Subject: Railway Company Liveries

Date: 27 Oct 1999 09:09:08 -0500


All,

I have been asked by a friend to see if I can find out the liveries
used by various Railway Companies, including these Indian ones. He
has a collection of Company Crests which he wishes to mount on boards
in an appropiate colour. He needs to know the liveries of both
locomotives, and rolling stock and wethever the Company put its crest
on both loco and rolling stock, or just on one of them. The idea
being that he will then mount the crests on a appropiately coloured
board. The period of most of the crests in from 1919 - 1939. The
Railways concerned are:

W Ceylon
H.E.H. The Nizams State Railway
Pakistan Western Railway
E Bengal Rly India Stores Department
GIP
BBCI
Jodphur Railway

He also has crests from Africa, Australia, and South America so if
any one has any knowledge of these areas can we correspond off line?

Thanks

Julian

From: Tim & Anita Wakeman <>

Subject: Re: IRFCA mailing list move

Date: 27 Oct 1999 09:17:20 -0500


S.Srinivas,

There are two versions that I know of that are used in e-mail
communities. One is the type we use now, except when you reply it goes
to the server then the list members. Second is digest. What this does is
accumulate all sent messages over a 24 hour period then mails them to
list members as one message. This system is fine, if all you want to do
is read the messages, but for the people writing and responding it is
not very efficient. For example, If I ask about a certain train in India
as to where it travels, the members would not recieve it until the list
manager sends it. It usually falls around the same time of the day. Now
say you want to answer and do so by replying.I will not get the answer
until the next mailing. Now 2 days have passed. Second, what if 15 other
members answer. Now all list members get to see the answer to my
question 15 times. Now I know most people read down through their mail
before replying just in case someone has answered another, but with
digest, this is impossible to do. I suggest that we get a community that
offers both options <A HREF="http://onelist.com/">http://onelist.com/</A> is one such community that I
have had no problems with. If you go to it you can search out subjects,
such as railroads, and they will all pop up and can be browsed. Archives
are kept daily and you can go back to them. Photo archives can also be
kept. We can even do surveys! All we need to do is set it up and then
everyone subscribe to the list. It is free. An address for mailing could
be something like IndianRailways@onelist.email. Somebody mentioned "list
bot" I think this list only sends in digest form.

Well, just my 2 cents,(paises), worth.

Regards, Tim
S.SRINIVAS wrote:
>
> Dear Anurag
>
> I see no problem if the IRFCA list is moved to a public
> mailing list server. After all, we can always not read
> the last line of Advt. message ! Or read it and ignore.
>
> It is ok if the move will be convenient to you. The main
> point is that we should continue the IRFCA's exchange
> of messages. Not allow it to close down. Personally,
> I have become addicted to reading the messages.
>
> As regards the IPR issues, all of us should feel happy
> if someone reads our ideas and propagates it further.
>
> So the final decision should be yours.
>
> Regards to all.
>
> S. SRINIVAS
>
> P.S. Pardon my ignorance, but what
> is a Digest version of the Mailing list.
>
> =================================
>

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: Re: Railway Company Liveries

Date: 27 Oct 1999 10:11:01 -0500


Hello,
There was a thread on this some while ago.
The long and short of it was, it was unanimously agreed at that time
that nobody, including the National Rail Museum authorities themselves,
know exactly what sort of livery was actually used on the trains of the
various princely railways.
At any rate, all old records are in black and white, and no one really
bothered to find out or record accurately the liveries of yore. The
liveries applied to the exhibits of the nrm are also suspect. When the
museum was inaugurated in 1977, someone claimed that the engines have
been painted in exactly the same colors they originally bore. That was
in R.R.Bhandari's time. Subsequent livery changes have occured over the
years.
To quote an example, the dimunitive diesel engine from the Betty
Tramways, Rajkot was originally in milky white color with sky blue
embellishments. Now its sky blue with a maroon nose!
GIP electrics were always painted a sombre black with red
embellishments. The EA/1 and EF/1 there are now black with light
blue/white embellishments. An infuriated irfca member once referred to
them as 'park livery'.
Its somewhat like the Jones goods 0-6-0 engine preserved in England,
wearing a yellow ochre livery which a guide book said she never bore
while in service.
I think the situation with crests was just like it is now. Officially
all engines carry 'INDIAN RAILWAYS' on their sides, (or sometimes
SOUTHERN or CENTRAL etc. Cars have ER or CR or SC on them, with the
round IR crest painted on the side centre.
All the pics of historic trains I've seen were similar. The engine
carries GIPR, or BB & CI or MSM etc. on its side, with the crests on
some (but not all) cars on the bottom.
The nrm shows some engines with the crest fitted onto their smokebox
doors (MSM crest on the FMA's smokebox door, BNR crest on the RD's
smokebox door) etc. But did they really exist that way?
Any ideas/deviations, gang?
Cheers.
Shankar


PG JULIAN RAINBOW wrote:
>
> All,
>
> I have been asked by a friend to see if I can find out the liveries
> used by various Railway Companies, including these Indian ones. He
> has a collection of Company Crests which he wishes to mount on boards
> in an appropiate colour. He needs to know the liveries of both
> locomotives, and rolling stock and wethever the Company put its crest
> on both loco and rolling stock, or just on one of them. The idea
> being that he will then mount the crests on a appropiately coloured
> board. The period of most of the crests in from 1919 - 1939. The
> Railways concerned are:
>
> W Ceylon
> H.E.H. The Nizams State Railway
> Pakistan Western Railway
> E Bengal Rly India Stores Department
> GIP
> BBCI
> Jodphur Railway
>
> He also has crests from Africa, Australia, and South America so if
> any one has any knowledge of these areas can we correspond off line?
>
> Thanks
>
> Julian

From: S.Shankar <>

Subject: Re: Poona Light Rail

Date: 27 Oct 1999 10:23:49 -0500


Mike Brooker wrote:

air in Ahmedabad that was so full of particulate matter that
> you could almost chew it,

HELLO MIKE.

HA, THAT WAS A RICH ONE! I COULDN'T HELP LAUGHING OUT ALOUD!

CHEERS.

SHANKAR

big blobs of paan on every street and sidewalk,
> etc.
>
> I didn't have problems with the smog in Delhi or Bombay, but Ahmedabad
had
> some of the worst quality air I ever attempted to breathe (or chew).
>
> ********************************************************************
> Mike Brooker
> 99 Wychcrest Ave.,
> Toronto, ON M6G 3X8
> CANADA
> (416) 536-7406
> ********************************************************************

From: Larry Russell <>

Subject: Re: Poona Light Rail

Date: 27 Oct 1999 16:51:13 -0500


Now you talk about bad air.... Mughas Sarai at night is unbreathable at
the
station. Ahmedamad station was almost (but not quite) as bad.
Larry

"S.Shankar" wrote:

> Mike Brooker wrote:
>
> air in Ahmedabad that was so full of particulate matter that
> > you could almost chew it,
>
> HELLO MIKE.
>
> HA, THAT WAS A RICH ONE! I COULDN'T HELP LAUGHING OUT ALOUD!
>
> CHEERS.
>
> SHANKAR
>
> big blobs of paan on every street and sidewalk,
> > etc.
> >
> > I didn't have problems with the smog in Delhi or Bombay, but
Ahmedabad had
> > some of the worst quality air I ever attempted to breathe (or chew).
> >
> > ********************************************************************
> > Mike Brooker
> > 99 Wychcrest Ave.,
> > Toronto, ON M6G 3X8
> > CANADA
> > (416) 536-7406
> > ********************************************************************

From: VIRAF P.. MULLA <>

Subject: Happy Diwali

Date: 27 Oct 1999 20:42:48 -0500



Dear Friends,

I am proceeding on leave. Before I unsubscribe myself I would like to
wish
you all a VERY HAPPY DIWALI & A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.

Viraf.

==========================
Viraf Mulla
C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
Borivali (West)
Mumbai 400103
Tel: +91-22-8954510
E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
==========================

From: shankie <>

Subject: Re: Happy Diwali

Date: 27 Oct 1999 20:44:41 -0500


Hello Viraf,
Here is wishing you and your family the same.
Have a nice holiday, a great festive season,and HAPPY TRAINSPOTTING!
Cheers.
Shankar

"VIRAF P.. MULLA" wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>
> I am proceeding on leave. Before I unsubscribe myself I would like to
wish
> you all a VERY HAPPY DIWALI & A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR.
>
> Viraf.
>
> ==========================
> Viraf Mulla
> C-20/14, Jeevan Bima Nagar,
> Borivali (West)
> Mumbai 400103
> Tel: +91-22-8954510
> E-mail: sncf@godrej.email
> ==========================

From: hubbert <>

Subject: Re: Rack-equipped YDM4

Date: 27 Oct 1999 21:44:52 -0500



Just to send back my view: Dr Walker is very right: From all
points, steam in NMR is best what ever. What I only wanted
to forsee is what would happen after the age of steam. It was an
utopia. Of course NMR could not turn into a vehicle reduced (like
Materan),ecologically proteced (because of mountains
=landslides), real south-indian mountain-jungles could be observed
without any traffic-noise echoing...

First to make an ending point about of the YDM 4 to put up in the
mountain - with a calf or what ever... what I ever found out in SITU
was:
The upper section was converted easily to YDM 4 BUT the rack
section
restricts the YDM 4 from NOT because the gradients are to steep,
BUT the
radius of the curves of the rack-section (remember Glendale
Estate) are
simply TO SHARP to let a YDM 4 run there!!! Forget it! They only
got the
"Bluy Diamond" there because, SR lifted it by steam-haulage up to
Coonoor.

Any serious consideration of changing the traction power on the
NMR from Steam could only lead to the decision: Grading up the
line (improving laying and axle-loading) electrify it (YAM! on the
upper section and something else - SLM has some aproved
technology here as well - on the rack-section) and put a lot of traffic
from road (as tourists of course and as well as goods!!!) to the rail
even
if necessary by REGULATIONS. This means, as others members proposed, a
clear evaluation of all aspects. The is a local interest to support the
railway as well as it is a national monument. Not only the construction
of
it self but as well as the entire, operation on the entire, so called
"third world", runing successfull in Indian Hands since almost Fifty
years!!! Dr Walker is right, I must addmit:

* NMR is absolutely unique in the so called "third world", witch also
leads to the next point of Dr Walker:

* The PERUMKA have extensive problems with their diesel-racks.
These are sophisticated ones frome the prime manufacturer in the
world BUT they are really getting already their second batch since
Dieselisation 15 years ago!!! Apart from that, their is no succesfull
runing, diesel-operated rack-railway in the world. Their are some of
such
diesel-powerd vehicles in Switzerland but these are marginal and one
must
consider the exellent state of Swiss railway maintanance. As far as I
Know, this line is mostly used for ore-traffic.

One exception: the 750mm gauge rack-railway (Abt like NMR) in
the north of the Ploponnes-peninsula of Greece (Diakopto -Klavrita)
is dieselized since the mid-60ties BUT with electric-powerd
railcars, supported by a generator-van, equiped with a Diesel-
engine and a DC-generator, coupled between the railcar and the
sub-car, whilst the latter is always shunted by the railcar mountain-
wards, whilst the generator-car is always coupled in between. A nice
operation, still running in 1999 (Eye-witnessed this year)! Actually,
everything was made to order a later elctrifictaion of the line with
easy
conversation of the DC (750 V) powered rail-cars to OHE (which in fact
never took place until nowadays) but in wintertime, when the road is
blocked by snow, its the only link for the Kalavritan-villagers to
access
the outa world.

As I have followed the news especially from the produceers side,
there is no way of any import of "new-way"-steamers (proposed
designs from SLM) because of "to expensive" (without evaluation).
Enough of speculation. Anand IS observations from Golden Rock
prove, that there will be some time left to get more awareness.
That is what I really meant: If Anands observations proves right,
WE get another 3 years time to build up more awareness (in the
public) about what´s up in the hills.
India is changing a lot since some years and will might do more in
the next millenium.

What really build my up was the news about the HGS steaming
out of Howrah.... How ever belived that would happen??

So much for now, excuse to everybody witch mind i´d upset.

Heinrich

BTW, we had a lot of Rack-railways here in Germany and they all
went to adhesion. Remember only the Ruebelandbahn: It is with
1:16 not that steep like the NMR but the racks were already
substituted before electrification (from DB-net isolated 25kV/50Hz-
System) by the "Animal"-class steam-locos and the main traffic
here are heavy bloc-trains loaded with lime. The most powerful
german locos are deployed here.




Whatsoever, it is a question of attitude to the region and the
environment.


On 27 Oct 99, at 16:12, Jayant S wrote:

> Apurva Bahadur wrote:
>
> > ....However to maintain either hood leading operation both the
> > wheels on an axle and both the rails would have to carry the rack
and
> > pinion hardware. Or the rack YDM 4 loco would have to be driven
> > strictly in one direction (like strictly long hood leading in one
> > direction).
> I don't think driving long hood leading should be a major drawback
> on the rack sections: train speeds must be quite low. I am still
> not sure how much space would be there on YDM4 axles for adding a
> rack, but if any of us is near an MG section, one look under the
> loco should tell us something. Fouling should not be an issue.
> Maybe a rack only on one side would work, if there is place
> on the axle for the pinion.
>
> > How much of power of the loco must be used by the
> > rack engine ? If I remember correctly, the X class has smaller low
> > pressure cylinders which run from the exhaust of the main cylinder.
> I am not familiar with the X-class, but I thought any
> compound loco would have larger low-pressure cylinders ?
> Power distribution between rack and adhesion should depend
> on the gradient, I think, but I do not have the information
> to do any rough reckoning on this. Axleload limits would need
> to be considered if a special slug for a YDM4 is to be designed:
> that would determine if a single truck would be adequate
> or not. Asking SLM (or any appropriate supplier) to develop a rack
slug
> based on standard Swiss MG rack equipment, controllable from a
standard
> YDM4, could well be far cheaper than a new class of steam locomotive,
or
> converting the route to electrification. Even if we buy only power
> trucks from a supplier, the rest of the slug can be developed in
India.
> I can think off the top of my head about a three-axled slug with
coupled
> wheels and one traction motor, something like the WDS4 wheel
> arrangement. The traction motor would be frame mounted, and pinions
> could be placed on the outermost axles. Build ballast weights on this
> thing, and mu it to a YDM4.....hmmmm.
>
> > Will the DHR benefit
> > from a rack section and is it a fact that the B class (or any steam
> > power) provides better adhesion working than a NDM series power ?
> According to Dr Walker, the DHR is already suffering from
> slipping problems on severely graded sections. These could
> theoretically benefit from rack addition, if the B-class can
> also be modified. I am not sure how the tractive effort of
> the NDM, and its axleload, compare against that of the
> B-Class, which is what would influence adhesion. What
> is the current status of motive power on the DHR anyway ?
>
> > I propose a joint trip of the Mumbai and Pune gang to have a look at
> > the Tambaram MG shed for the YAM 1s.
> Sounds good, and I hope I can make some time for this.
> A stopover at NMR would also be a good idea, as I am
> getting very curious about rack operation. The excellent
> photos posted by one of our members (sorry I can't remember
> your name offhand !) look very inviting also.
>
> --
> JS
> --
>

From: Apurva Bahadur <>

Subject: Re: Track Quality

Date: 27 Oct 1999 22:43:30 -0500


Jayant,

Can you be specific, which section you had a rough ride and I can get a
comment from the PWI dept. I remember the section near Neral as being
really bad.
The news I have heard is that in the suburban Mumbai section, the slow
tracks have had their bed height has been increased to cope with the
water logging. So the EMU entry height above the platform has become
excessive. Many ladies are seen sitting the door of the EMU to get down
on the platform as a jump is difficult. This may be an exaggeration by
the person who told me this news but Mumbai gang could verify the truth
easily.
The ride quality Howrah - Nagpur is full of violent sways, lurches and
bottoming of suspension elements. Once the train enters the NGP - CSTM
section, it is comparatively smooth.

Apurva

> I went to Mumbai on Monday by the Shatabdi
> Express, and was quite startled at the poor
> ride on almost the entire route. It does not
> seem surprising that the route is witness
> to frequent derailments.

From: Royston Ellis <>

Subject: Re: Railway Company Liveries

Date: 28 Oct 1999 00:01:43 -0500


At 16:09 27/10/99 GMT0BST, you wrote:
>All,
>
>I have been asked by a friend to see if I can find out the liveries
>used by various Railway Companies, including these Indian ones.
>
>W Ceylon
For this, try Vinod c/o kanish@pan.email
Royston