1.
Transwa Prospector
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The Prospector is a standard-gauge passenger train operated by Transwa between East Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The new service commenced on 29 November 1971, cutting the 653-kilometre journey time from fourteen to eight hours, with an average speed of 85 km/h, it was the fastest service in Australia. In 1968 Comeng, Granville were awarded a contract to build eight WAGR WCA/WCE class railcars, built to take advantage of the generous loading gauge on the new line, they were the largest carriages ever built in Australia. They were the first trains in Australia to have at-seat catering and these held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981. In December 2000 Westrail awarded a contract to United Goninan, Broadmeadow for seven Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars to replace the original railcars, the first entered service on 28 June 2004. The new railcars are capable of 200 km/h, but track conditions restrict their top speed to 160 km/h, nonetheless they further reduced journey times to 6 hours 45 minutes. On Mondays and Fridays, the service runs twice each way. On Wednesdays, there is one semi-fast service each way between East Perth and Kalgoorlie which runs fast between Midland and Merredin, then stops at all of the stations east of Merredin. On Sundays, there is one train in each direction stopping at all of the above stations and this gives a total of 9 trains per week in each direction. 100th anniversary of rail link Kalgoorlie Miner 1 January 1997, p.2 Media related to Transwa Prospector at Wikimedia Commons Perth Trains gallery
2.
Dual gauge
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A dual-gauge railway is a line of track that provides for trains of two separate track gauges. A mixed-gauge railway provides for more than two gauges, but is also a term sometimes used to denote dual-gauge. A dual-gauge track configuration usually consists of three rails, two rails, one for each gauge, plus a common rail--although at times, commonality is not possible. In an ordinary three-rail dual-gauge configuration, the two adjacent outer rails give provide each of the gauges, while the outer rail is common to trains of both gauges operating over it. This configuration is not to be confused with the electric current traction rail or a check or guard rail, in railways, the most important specification is that of rail gauge, the distance between the inner surfaces of the heads of the travel rails. A problem arises when different gauges outside of this tolerance meet one another, in allowing railway tracks of different gauges to share the same alignment, costs can be reduced, and infrastructure shared, e. g. platforms, bridges and tunnels etc. Dual gauge can replace two separate tracks by sharing one common running rail and one of the two outer rails which determine the gauge. However, there are complications and costs involved that may offset the savings. One issue is that points are more complex, and therefore more expensive, arrangements are necessary to ensure trains of both gauges can be safely signalled, track circuits and mechanical interlocking where provided must be operated through the common rail. Also, the rail will have an increased wear and tear over the other separate gauge rails. The following pairs of gauges can be dual-gauged without problem, standard gauge and 1,676 mm,3 ft and 3 ft 6 in, and 5 ft and 6 ft. Standard gauge and 1,600 mm can also be dual-gauged, albeit with lighter, narrow-footed rails and this last combination is of particular historical interest, as it was of strategic significance during World War II. If three-rail dual gauge is impossible, four-rail gauntlet track dual-gauge has to be used, the complications and difficulties outlined illustrate the benefits of standardised railway gauges, where possible. Alternatively the rails may be too light for the loads imposed by broader-gauge railcars, such potential problems can rule out dual-gauge as a feasible option, unless heavier rails are installed. Dual-gauge lines in Java were regauged from 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in to 3 ft 6 in during the Japanese administration in 1942-1943, regauging occurred only on the relatively short Brumbung-Kedungjati-Gundih main line and the Kedungjati-Ambarawa branch line, as the rest of the line was already dual-gauge. In Los Angeles the 3 ft 6 in Los Angeles Railway, the Colorado and Southern Railway had both standard and narrow gauge trackage, and had dual-gauge track between Denver, Colorado and Golden, until 1941. Similarly, a section of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroads Alamosa-Durango Line from Alamosa, the East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company formerly had considerable dual-gauge trackage in its Mount Union, Pennsylvania yard. Alaska and British Columbia are proposing dual gauge,1,435 mm standard gauge and 914 mm, track so that a narrow gauge tourist train and standard gauge ore trains can share the right of way
3.
Toodyay, Western Australia
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Toodyay, known as Newcastle between 1860 and 1910, is a town on the Avon River in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia,85 kilometres north-east of Perth on Ballardong Nyoongar land. The first European settlement occurred in the area in 1836, after flooding in the 1850s, the townsite was moved to its current location in the 1860s. It is connected by railway and road to Perth, during the 1860s, it was home to bushranger Moondyne Joe. The original village of Toodyay was one of the earliest inland towns in Western Australia, the first village was established in 1836. Drummond established his homestead Hawthornden nearby, the original location is subject to flooding, which led to its abandonment in the 1850s, and a new townsite was established on higher ground 2 kilometres upstream. This was proclaimed by Governor Arthur Kennedy on 1 October 1860 as Newcastle, the Shire of Toodyays official history gives the meaning as place of plenty. According to Noongar belief, a bird calls its own name and this name Duidgee is preserved in the riverside recreation area Duidgee Park. Toodyay is also known as the place that is misty and foggy, the Newcastle Gaol, in Clinton Street, completed in 1864, was in use as a state prison until 1909. It is now preserved as a building and tourist attraction. In 1870, a flour mill, Connors Mill, was built on Stirling Terrace by George Hasell. The mill was used to generate electricity in the early twentieth century. Saved from demolition in the 1970s, and restored to demonstrate the process and machinery. The historic architecture of shops and residences along the street, Stirling Terrace. Some of the buildings are listed on the Australian Heritage Database. They include the Freemasons Hotel, the Victoria Hotel, and Urwins Store on Stirling Terrace, in 1861, Western Australias notorious bushranger Moondyne Joe was imprisoned in Toodyay for stealing a horse, but escaped. After a series of crimes and prison terms, he was on the run again, the annual Moondyne Festival is a light-hearted celebration of this darker side of Toodyays history. Being an hours drive from Perth, present day Toodyay is a venue for tourists. A picturesque circuit of Toodyay Road through Gidgegannup, Toodyay, Chittering Valley, other destinations include olive oil farms, lavender farms, holiday retreats, hotels, restaurants, caravan parks, an emu farm and a public archery park
4.
UGL Rail
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UGL Rail is an Australian rail company specialising in building, maintaining and refurbishing diesel locomotives, diesel & electric multiple units and freight wagons. It is a subsidiary of UGL Limited and is based in Melbourne and it operates factories in Broadmeadow, Chullora, Spotswood and Bassendean. While it used to operate a factory in Taree, the plant has currently shut down, founded in Australia in 1899 by Cornish brothers Alfred and Ralph Goninan as an engineering and manufacturing company for the coal industry. A Goninan & Co Limited was incorporated as a company in 1905. A Goninan & Co moved to more convenient freehold land at Broadmeadow in 1919 and they made pitheads, boilers, wagons and a huge, cast 41-ton block for the districts coal trade. In October 1964 A Goninan & Co was purchased by Howard Smith, in August 1999 A Goninan & Co was sold to United Group and rebranded United Goninan. In 2005 it was renamed United Group Rail as part of a reorganisation following United Group purchasing of Alstoms Australian subsidiary, Alstom Transport Australia, while most items were manufactured at Broadmeadows, it did purchase Comengs Bassendean, Western Australia plant. This plant rebuilt many Pilbara Alco locomotives with General Electric components in the 1990s as well as building 17 Westrail P class and 60 NR class locomotives. In 1983 a factory was established in Townsville to fulfill a contract for Queensland Railways 2600 class locomotives that required them to be built locally and it later built the 2800 class. In the early 1990s A Goninan & Co refurbished S and V sets at Broadmeadow as part of the Citydecker program, UGL Rail owns 20% of Metro Trains Melbourne, the consortium that has run Melbournes metro railway network since November 2009. Company website RailPower partners with Premier Australian Railway Engineers United Goninan to market hybrid locomotives in Australia and SE Asia Alfred Goninan
5.
WAGR WCA/WCE class
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At the time of their construction the WCA class units were the longest and fastest diesel railcars in the world. In 1968 Comeng, Granville were awarded a contract to build built five WCA power cars, the WCAs had a crew compartment at both ends, the WCEs at one end. They were ordered to operate the new The Prospector service, on the Eastern Goldfields Railway between East Perth and Kalgoorlie that was in the process of being converted to standard gauge. Built to take advantage of the loading gauge of the new line. All of the WCA class vehicles were powered by MAN engines coupled to Voith transmissions, in the early 1990s, these engines were replaced by Cummins KTA19R engines. At 27.43 metres and with a top speed of 150 km/h, the trains made up of the WCA/WCE class units were the first in Australia to have at-seat catering and up until their withdrawal, operated the highest average speed train service in Australia. On 24 September 1995 they began to operate AvonLink services between East Perth and Northam and they travelled over 20 million kilometres and carried 2.6 million passengers over 33 years before being replaced by the Transwa WDA/WDB/WDC class railcars with the last retired in July 2005. These held the record for the highest speed attained by an Australian train until bettered by a New South Wales XPT in September 1981, two have been saved for preservation with the other six scrapped. Media related to Transwa Prospector at Wikimedia Commons Perth Trains gallery
6.
Prime mover (locomotive)
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In engineering, a prime mover is an engine that converts fuel to useful work. In locomotives, the mover is thus the source of power for its propulsion. Generally it is any locomotive powered by a combustion engine. In an engine-generator set, the engine is the prime mover, in a diesel-mechanical locomotive, the prime mover is the diesel engine that is mechanically coupled to the driving wheels. The prime mover can also be a gas turbine instead of a diesel engine, in either case, the generator, traction motors and interconnecting apparatus are considered to be the power transmission system and not part of the prime mover. A wired-electric or battery-electric locomotive has no prime mover, instead relying on an external power station. The engine and generator set of a locomotive are sometimes coupled as a removable unit called the power unit
7.
Cummins
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Dongfeng Motor Corporation is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Wuhan, China. Traditionally one of the Big Three Chinese automakers, Dongfeng is currently in the top four in terms of output along with Changan Motors, FAW Group, in addition to commercial and consumer vehicles, it also manufactures parts and cooperates with foreign companies. Counting six global automakers as partners, it has more Sino-foreign joint ventures than any other Chinese carmaker and these partnerships allow it to produce and sell a variety of foreign-brand products in China including those of Citroën, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Peugeot, and Renault. Other brand names associated with Dongfeng include Fengshen, Infiniti, Luxgen, heavy-duty commercial vehicles and buses are sold under the eponymous Dongfeng brand although c.2015 the Dual Sparrows logo started appearing on consumer products as well. The company was the second-largest Chinese vehicle maker in 2014 by production volume manufacturing over 3.5 million whole vehicles that year, commercial vehicle production that year was higher than all other domestic manufacturers at nearly 450,000. Dongfeng has two listed subsidiaries—Dongfeng Motor Group Co and Dongfeng Automobile Co Ltd. Some sources may refer to the company as Dong Feng, use an acronym like DFM, or use the name in conjunction with others when referring to a subsidiary, joint venture, or other associated enterprise. Known as Second Automobile Works until 1992, Dongfeng, or East Wind in Chinese, was founded in 1969. Its origins lie in a dictate of Chairman Mao Zedong, as part of his Third Front strategy, traditionally manufacturing commercial vehicles, by 2001 these made up about 73% of Dongfengs production. By 2012, that figure had reversed, and 73% of manufactures were passenger cars, however, the percentage of consumer offerings was likely lower as passenger car counts may include microvans, tiny commercial vehicles that are popular in China. Post-1985, further reforms took place that allowed Dongfeng greater autonomy, by the mid-1980s, its assets had tripled from those initially given to it by the state in 1981, and management was desirous of even greater production capacity. But in 1995, the company was experiencing financial difficulties as was the case with many Chinese automobile manufacturers at this time, the situation was still dire in 1998 precipitating a 1999 restructuring of the company. This state owned enterprise has come into conflict with authority at both the national and provincial levels, the Chinese partner in many Sino-foreign joint venture companies, Dongfeng initiated most of these cooperative efforts with foreign firms in the early 2000s. But its first was established in 1992 with French PSA Group, known as Dongfeng Citroën Automobile Company, it was the forerunner to the current Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile Limited. By 2003, Dongfeng had established joint ventures with Kia Motors, Honda, as of 2011, it had more Sino-foreign joint ventures than any other Chinese automaker, and the 2013 creation of a partnership with French Renault means it retains this title today. In 2009, it sold 1.9 million vehicles ranking second among domestic automakers, at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show, Dongfeng displayed an electric vehicle concept car, a physical representation of its vow to bring an electric car to market by 2015. In 2010, the company sold 2.72 million units and it reported 1.72 million sales of passenger vehicles that same year. 2011 production figures put the company in place, in terms of production volume, in its home market
8.
Track gauge
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In rail transport, track gauge is the spacing of the rails on a railway track and is measured between the inner faces of the load-bearing rails. All vehicles on a network must have running gear that is compatible with the track gauge, as the dominant parameter determining interoperability, it is still frequently used as a descriptor of a route or network. There is a distinction between the gauge and actual gauge at some locality, due to divergence of track components from the nominal. Railway engineers use a device, like a caliper, to measure the actual gauge, the nominal track gauge is the distance between the inner faces of the rails. In current practice, it is specified at a distance below the rail head as the inner faces of the rail head are not necessarily vertical. In some cases in the earliest days of railways, the company saw itself as an infrastructure provider only. Colloquially the wagons might be referred to as four-foot gauge wagons, say and this nominal value does not equate to the flange spacing, as some freedom is allowed for. An infrastructure manager might specify new or replacement track components at a variation from the nominal gauge for pragmatic reasons. Track is defined in old Imperial units or in universally accepted metric units or SI units, Imperial units were established in United Kingdom by The Weights and Measures Act of 1824. In addition, there are constraints, such as the load-carrying capacity of axles. Narrow gauge railways usually cost less to build because they are lighter in construction, using smaller cars and locomotives, as well as smaller bridges, smaller tunnels. Narrow gauge is often used in mountainous terrain, where the savings in civil engineering work can be substantial. Broader gauge railways are generally expensive to build and require wider curves. There is no single perfect gauge, because different environments and economic considerations come into play, a narrow gauge is superior if ones main considerations are economy and tight curvature. For direct, unimpeded routes with high traffic, a broad gauge may be preferable, the Standard, Russian, and 46 gauges are designed to strike a reasonable balance between these factors. In addition to the general trade-off, another important factor is standardization, once a standard has been chosen, and equipment, infrastructure, and training calibrated to that standard, conversion becomes difficult and expensive. This also makes it easier to adopt an existing standard than to invent a new one and this is true of many technologies, including railroad gauges. The reduced cost, greater efficiency, and greater economic opportunity offered by the use of a common standard explains why a number of gauges predominate worldwide
Media related to Transwa AvonLink at Wikimedia Commons