Electric trains trialled

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 238, 5 April 1988, Page 1

Electric trains trialled

A team of engineers are testing the electric locomotives on the main trunk line at present. The trials are designed to. test the compatibility of the the locomotives with other systems in use on the line. The systems being tested are signals, communication, power supply and the locomotives. The team is made up of five engineers, some of whom are university professors and some who are practicing engineers. The team include experts from Hawker Sidley Rail Projects from the United Kingdom, who specialise in testing. Locomotives are run pulling various loads while the other systems are monitored for abnormalities or incompatibilities. Around six trains are monitored each test. Last week the tests were on trains running between Taihape and National Park. This week tests cover the run between National Park and Taumarunui which includes the Raurimu Spiral, where the very steep and slow winding grade means the locomotives draw current which is close to the maximum. The regenerative braking system will also be tested at Raurimu. The system returns energy to the power supply when trains are running down hill. Just how much power is able to be returned will be deduced from the tests.