InterCity XPT

InterCity XPT

InterCity XPT

The unveiling of the Express Passenger Train (XPT) at Commonwealth Engineering's Sydney plant in August 1981 heralded the dawn of a new era for both Australian passenger train concepts and locomotive technology. The train came about following many year's procrastination as to what kind of conveyance would best serve NSW's country train travellers.

Comeng successfully tendered an Australianised version of the tried and proven British Intercity 125 High Speed Train (HST) concept, which provided locomotives at both ends - one pulling and the other pushing. State Rail, impressed by what they saw, initially ordered ten locomotives (to be offically known as 'power cars') and twenty matched coaching vehicles.

Because Australian operating conditions were vastly different to those experienced in Britain, the XPT was virtually redesigned from the bogies up. Australia's generous loading gauge allowed for longer, wider and higher passenger cars and while the British HST version was constructed of welded steel, the Comeng version used the stainless variety.

The XPT was equipped with the same Paxman 'Valenta' 12 cyl. RP200L four-stroke turbocharged engine as employed in the British HST, but was de-rated to 1491 kW to suit Australia's hotter ambient temperature. The traction gear was reduced slightly to provide a 1000 lb (4.1 kW) greater maximum tractive effort to enable the train to negotiate lengthy steep gradients (such as the 1 in 33's experienced on the Blue Mountains route).

Over the years, the XPT locomotives (and carriages) have undergone tremendous change to better equip them for their seemingly constant task. According to the XPT Maintenance Centre, almost 150 detail changes have been carried out on the locomotives' engines and traction equipment and many of the improvements have been exported back to England. They include modified load regulation characteristics in respect of alternators and traction motors to increase the allowable current to those motors for starting and low speed operations.

Company: NSW State Rail Authority
Model: Modified Intercity 125 HST / XP Class
Year: 1981
Engine: Paxman 'Valenta' 12RPL200L
Power: 2000hp / 1491 kW
Starting Tractive Effort: 18,994lb / 84 kN
Continuous Tractive Effort: 17,311lb / 77 kN
Maximum Speed: 160 km/h
Driving wheel diameter: m
Length: 17.34 m
Weight: 74t

Author: Chris Hucklebridge

InterCity XPT
• colormap.dat 385 bytes
• config.txt 4.54KB
intercity_xpt_alpha_numbers
alphanumber_0.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_1.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_2.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_3.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_4.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_5.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_6.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_7.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_8.tga 1.04KB
alphanumber_9.tga 1.04KB
intercity_xpt_art
consist.bmp 24.05KB
consist_a.bmp 9.05KB
intercity_xpt_art_512.texture.txt 65 bytes
intercity_xpt_art_icon.texture.txt 65 bytes
preview.bmp 768.05KB
preview_a.bmp 257.05KB
• main.bmp 768.05KB
• main.texture.txt 29 bytes
• skin.dat 38 bytes