What might have been

Electric XPTs

In 1980 there was a proposal to electrify the main line between Sydney and Melbourne. The overhead would have been electrified to 25kV AC outside the Sydney and Melbourne metropolitan areas. Comeng was designing the 86 class electric locomotives for the New South Wales railways at the time, and made provision for dual voltage operation. The XPT was in the also final design stage at the time, and an electric XPT was designed to operate on the line.

In 1981, the Institution of Engineers suggested that a network of fast trains connecting Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide would be a worthy Bicentennial project. The electric XPT, now proposed to operate at 200km/h, was suggested as one option.

Driving trailers

8 driving trailers were part of the original Comeng proposal. None were ever built.
Mass: Approx 52t

Over the years, schedules were proposed and rejected for various reasons. Other schedules were used when circumstances required, such as trackwork.

This is a proposed northern region schedule which was to have taken effect from 14/2/90. It went as far as altering all the connecting road coach services. It was entered into State Rail booking computers, but was withdrawn before the new schedule was made public. Note that no up trains stopped at Gosford plus NT17 and NT18 didn't stop at Strathfield, which is most unusual.

                 NT5    NT17
SYDNEY           7.15   16.55
Strathfield      7.26     -
Horsnby          7.46   17.26
Gosford          8.26     -
Broadmeadow      9.22   18.58
Maitland         9.42   19.18
Dungog          10.25     -
Gloucester      11.18     -
Wingham         12.07     -
Taree           12.21   21.51
Wauchope        13.22   22.51
Kempsey         13.59   23.28
Macksville      14.38     -
Coffs Harbour   15.20    0.45
Grafton City    16.30    1.55
Casino          17.56    3.21
Lismore         18.25
Byron Bay       19.10
Mullumbimby     19.25
MURWILLUMBAH    20.15
Kyogle                   3.47
Bromelton                5.08
BRISBANE                 6.05


                 NT6    NT18
BRISBANE         7.40
Bromelton        8.28
Kyogle           9.48
MURWILLUMBAH            21.10
Mullumbimby             21.45
Byron Bay               21.59
Lismore                 22.46
Casino          10.14   23.18
Grafton City    11.35    0.43
Coffs Harbour   12.48    2.01
Macksville      13.32     -
Kempsey         14.28    3.21
Wauchope        15.05    3.58
Taree           16.08    5.06
Wingham         16.21     -
Gloucester      17.10     -
Dungog          18.03     -
Maitland        18.44    7.41
Broadmeadow     19.03    8.06
Gosford           -       -
Hornsby         20.39    9.38
Strathfield     20.59     -
SYDNEY          21.15   10.10

<NEW ENGINES] [INDEX] [ROLLINGSTOCK SPECIFICATIONS>