Railway Digest Magazine May 2016 Back Issue

The Tortoise and the Hare
In June 2008 the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) announced an investment of A$90 million to improve capacity, safety and efficiency on the interstate rail network through the development of an ‘Advanced Train Management System’ (ATMS). ATMS is a conceptually new train management system that is communication based, communicating via both voice and data between Network Control Centres and locomotives. Graham Vincent explains.

The QUBE QBX Class locomotives
In the latest of his ongoing series of locomotive profiles, Peter Clark takes a look at our most recent import from China; the six members of the 3000 kW QBX Class, built by CSR Ziyang for QUBE Logistics, and what distinguishes them from the SDA1 units previously purchased by SCT and Bradken.

Geelong commuters should be steaming
Completed commendably on time and under budget, Victoria’s $3.5 billion Regional Rail Link (RRL) achieved one of its main aims, but while enjoying more services, Geelong commuters now have journeys longer in time and distance. There are now 49 weekday services from Melbourne to Geelong but only two of these trains are scheduled faster than the 55 minutes schedule of the steam-hauled 8.22 am The Flier and the 5.12 pm Express in the Victorian Railways December 1939 timetable. With the help of logs created by veteran timing expert David Parsons, Malcolm Simister examines the facts and figures.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s Emu & Western Creek Junction
Emu – Western Creek is the junction of the Rio Tinto Iron Ore (RTIO) Tom Price – Dampier mainline with the Pannawonica – Cape Lambert line; the junction allows loaded iron-ore trains from the Tom Price mainline to proceed down the double-track to Cape Lambert or the single track to the Dampier export terminal. Phil Cross describes an interesting location in West Australia’s Pilbara.