Railways Past, Present & Future
Posted
on May 09, 2012
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Dr. Stephen Marich is a passionate expert when it comes to railways. He is regarded throughout the world as one of the leading train experts, particularly in the areas of wheel/rail and track performance, interaction, maintenance and management. |
His career highlights include receiving the Institute of Australian Engineers individual award in 2000, and being inducted in the International Heavy Haul Association Railway Hall of Fame in 2003.
Stephen introduced the first use of a steam engine and the use of flanged steel wheels and steel tracks. Although for some centuries there had been attempts to utilize “train” concepts for transportation, it wasn’t until 1804 that Richard Trevithick produced a steam locomotive and in 1825 George Stephenson set up the Stockton-Darlington line, that rail transport became a practical reality. The spread of rail transport was almost instantaneous throughout the world. By 1890 in the U.S alone there were 229,774 kilometres of track and in 1904, the great Trans-Siberian Railway was opened.
This initial age of steam was followed by the age of electric locomotion, first in Germany in 1881 followed by the London Underground in 1890. This source of motivation was particularly applicable to city passenger transport with readily available electric power.
For other purposes than passenger travel in urban areas, diesel power was developed and put to use replacing steam, firstly in Sweden in 1913 followed by the U.S in 1918. The final age was that of diesel/electric locomotion which was introduced in 1950, obviating the need for readily available electric power and being most applicable to long and shorthaul usage.
What has followed was characterised as the Age of Specialisation. The 1960's saw the introduction of high-speed trains, in competition with road freight trains of 1-2 kms in length operating at speeds up to 140km per hour. This has resulted in freight haulage increases of about 8% per annum.
In 1964 Japan introduced its ‘bullet trains’ which, by 1980, were achieving speeds of 260kms/hour. France and Germany are achieving similar speeds with their fast trains. Probably the most specialised trains are those operating to haul from ore or coal mines to ports for export and for haulage to customers or further treatment. They typically have wagons holding up to 160 tonnes at speeds of 90-100km/hour on single line tracks. The track opened by Fortescue Metals in Western Australia in 1980 is 270kms long and will soon be increased by another 220kms. The cost was $2.2billion with locos at $5million each and the track costing $1.2 million per km. With an annual export of ore worth $9.8billion, this is a very profitable outlay for both Fortescue and Australia.
But what of the future? What are the elements that will the objects of development and improvement?
- For passenger trains and general freight, paramount is the need to lessen noise and vibration.
- For long haul freight the need is to improve designs to achieve greater cost effectiveness and easier, more thorough maintenance.
- In all forms of rail transport, safety measures to lessen possibility of derailments and introduce driverless trains are aims that are to be met. Driverless trains are already technically possible with the ore trains but are currently on hold.
Stephen introduced the first use of a steam engine and the use of flanged steel wheels and steel tracks. Although for some centuries there had been attempts to utilize “train” concepts for transportation, it wasn’t until 1804 that Richard Trevithick produced a steam locomotive and in 1825 George Stephenson set up the Stockton-Darlington line, that rail transport became a practical reality. The spread of rail transport was almost instantaneous throughout the world. By 1890 in the U.S alone there were 229,774 kilometres of track and in 1904, the great Trans-Siberian Railway was opened.
This initial age of steam was followed by the age of electric locomotion, first in Germany in 1881 followed by the London Underground in 1890. This source of motivation was particularly applicable to city passenger transport with readily available electric power.
For other purposes than passenger travel in urban areas, diesel power was developed and put to use replacing steam, firstly in Sweden in 1913 followed by the U.S in 1918. The final age was that of diesel/electric locomotion which was introduced in 1950, obviating the need for readily available electric power and being most applicable to long and shorthaul usage.
What has followed was characterised as the Age of Specialisation. The 1960's saw the introduction of high-speed trains, in competition with road freight trains of 1-2 kms in length operating at speeds up to 140km per hour. This has resulted in freight haulage increases of about 8% per annum.
In 1964 Japan introduced its ‘bullet trains’ which, by 1980, were achieving speeds of 260kms/hour. France and Germany are achieving similar speeds with their fast trains. Probably the most specialised trains are those operating to haul from ore or coal mines to ports for export and for haulage to customers or further treatment. They typically have wagons holding up to 160 tonnes at speeds of 90-100km/hour on single line tracks. The track opened by Fortescue Metals in Western Australia in 1980 is 270kms long and will soon be increased by another 220kms. The cost was $2.2billion with locos at $5million each and the track costing $1.2 million per km. With an annual export of ore worth $9.8billion, this is a very profitable outlay for both Fortescue and Australia.
But what of the future? What are the elements that will the objects of development and improvement?
- For passenger trains and general freight, paramount is the need to lessen noise and vibration.
- For long haul freight the need is to improve designs to achieve greater cost effectiveness and easier, more thorough maintenance.
- In all forms of rail transport, safety measures to lessen possibility of derailments and introduce driverless trains are aims that are to be met. Driverless trains are already technically possible with the ore trains but are currently on hold.