Skitube Alpine Railway
Encyclopedia
The Skitube Alpine Railway is an , standard gauge track
electric
rack railway
in the Kosciuszko National Park
in New South Wales
, Australia
. It provides access to the snowfields at Blue Cow Mountain and the Perisher Valley
.
, chairlift
, and an aerial gondola
, but all were of limited capacity, affected by weather, and would scar the mountainsides.
A rack and pinion railway was found to be the best option, running mostly underground. The Perisher Skitube Joint Venture was established, with Transfield and Kumagai NSW (a division of Japanese firm Kumagai Gumi
) holding a 49 percent share each. The main proponent of the scheme, Canberra engineer Ken Bilston, held a 2 percent share and was technical manager for the project. Feasibility studies commenced in 1982 for a double track
railway on the assumption that the road would close in winter, but this was altered to a single track
line with passing loop
s when the closure was ruled out.
Construction commenced in October 1984, with tunnelling beginning in June 1985. A consortium of Swiss and Australian companies provided the rolling stock, overhead wiring, sub-stations, communications and signalling. The line opened from Bullocks to Perisher on 26 July 1987 with the entire line officially opened on 29 August 1988.
-designed railway provides easy access between the Alpine Way
at Bullocks Flat
and the Perisher Blue ski resort sites of Perisher Valley and Blue Cow Mountain. The Skitube passes through two tunnel
s and three stations
, two of which are underground.
The line begins at Bullock Terminal at an altitude of 1125 metres and runs above ground for 2.6 km, crossing a three span 150 metre long steel truss bridge. A passing loop is located before entering the tunnel, which climbs on a 12.5 percent gradient to the Perisher Valley terminal. A provision for a second 300 metre long passing loop has been made inside the tunnel. To Blue Cow the line first drops downgrade, then climbs 1.3 km on a 3 percent gradient, then climbs at 12.5 percent to the terminus.
An off-peak schedule is run in early to late June and mid to late September, either side of the peak July-September ski season
. Trains run between 5 am and 1 am, allowing for après-ski
activities or night skiing. The Bullocks Flat terminus has a large, three-sided station with extensive parking, a pass office, a ski and snowboard
school, information desk, kiosk, souvenir shop, and ski and snowboard hire shop. This allows day trippers to get tickets and equipment and be loaded for the 10-minute journey to the Perisher Valley station, and a further 7 minutes to Blue Cow. It is adjacent to the Lake Crackenback Resort (accommodation).
between 5 and 5.5 m (16.4 and 18 ft). 30 kg/m second hand rail from State Rail was used to build the line, and two electrical substation
s are fed with 33 kV power, and output 1.5 kV DC for the overhead wiring.
Each of the carriage
s, which typically make up a 4, 3 or 2-carriage train
, is 16.8 m (55.1 ft) long and 3.8 m (12.5 ft) wide, and can carry 225 passengers. This provides for the movement of around 4,500 people per hour. Eleven passenger cars in total were acquired, 4 motor cars
, 4 driving trailers
and 3 non driving trailers. The motor cars each have four 301 kW traction motor
s, making them the most powerful rack railway vehicles in the world. The braking system is mixed regenerative
and rheostatic
. The train is capable of 40 km/h (24.9 mph), however this is limited during the downhill journey to 21 km/h (13 mph).
Two 'S' open wagons were acquired from the NSW State Rail Authority for freight traffic, and have been cut down to flat wagons
.
The rack system Skitube operates on the Lamella System, which was developed by the Von Roll company.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
electric
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
rack railway
Rack railway
A rack-and-pinion railway is a railway with a toothed rack rail, usually between the running rails. The trains are fitted with one or more cog wheels or pinions that mesh with this rack rail...
in the Kosciuszko National Park
Kosciuszko National Park
Kosciuszko National Park covers 690,000 hectares and contains mainland Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko for which it is named, and Cabramurra the highest town in Australia...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It provides access to the snowfields at Blue Cow Mountain and the Perisher Valley
Perisher Valley, New South Wales
Perisher Valley is a ski resort village in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire. It is primarily a winter only resort village, although all year round accommodation is available. It is within the Kosciuszko National Park, and is administered by The New South...
.
History
In the 1980s development of the Thredbo and Perisher Valley skifields was increasing, but the mountain road providing access to them was limited, and road and carparking expansion works were financially and environmentally unacceptable. In 1980 the National Parks and Wildlife Service proposed the establishment of a day visitors resort at Blue Cow Mountain, which increased the traffic demands. A number of transport modes were examined, including a funicular railwayFunicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
, chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
, and an aerial gondola
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
, but all were of limited capacity, affected by weather, and would scar the mountainsides.
A rack and pinion railway was found to be the best option, running mostly underground. The Perisher Skitube Joint Venture was established, with Transfield and Kumagai NSW (a division of Japanese firm Kumagai Gumi
Kumagai Gumi
is a construction company founded in Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The company still has registered headquarters in Fukui, but the actual head office is located in Shinjuku, Tokyo.Kumagai Gumi was removed from the Nikkei 225 index on Oct...
) holding a 49 percent share each. The main proponent of the scheme, Canberra engineer Ken Bilston, held a 2 percent share and was technical manager for the project. Feasibility studies commenced in 1982 for a double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
railway on the assumption that the road would close in winter, but this was altered to a single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line with passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
s when the closure was ruled out.
Construction commenced in October 1984, with tunnelling beginning in June 1985. A consortium of Swiss and Australian companies provided the rolling stock, overhead wiring, sub-stations, communications and signalling. The line opened from Bullocks to Perisher on 26 July 1987 with the entire line officially opened on 29 August 1988.
Operations
The SwissSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-designed railway provides easy access between the Alpine Way
Alpine Way
The Alpine Way is a State highway in New South Wales, Australia.The Alpine Way starts near Jindabyne on the eastern side of the Snowy Mountains. It runs south-west past Thredbo and crosses the crest of the Great Dividing Range at Dead Horse Gap...
at Bullocks Flat
Bullocks Flat, New South Wales
Bullocks Flat is a flat portion of the Thredbo Valley adjacent to the Thredbo River, in the New South Wales, Australia.-Skitube:...
and the Perisher Blue ski resort sites of Perisher Valley and Blue Cow Mountain. The Skitube passes through two tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
s and three stations
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
, two of which are underground.
The line begins at Bullock Terminal at an altitude of 1125 metres and runs above ground for 2.6 km, crossing a three span 150 metre long steel truss bridge. A passing loop is located before entering the tunnel, which climbs on a 12.5 percent gradient to the Perisher Valley terminal. A provision for a second 300 metre long passing loop has been made inside the tunnel. To Blue Cow the line first drops downgrade, then climbs 1.3 km on a 3 percent gradient, then climbs at 12.5 percent to the terminus.
An off-peak schedule is run in early to late June and mid to late September, either side of the peak July-September ski season
Ski season
A ski season is a period of time when skiing, snowboarding and other alpine sports are viable in an alpine resort. The season, in reality, corresponds to when ski lifts are running and lift passes are available. Depending on the latitude and altitude of the resort, the season will typically run...
. Trains run between 5 am and 1 am, allowing for après-ski
Après-ski
Après-ski refers to going out, having drinks, dancing, and generally socializing after skiing. It is popular in the Alps, where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. The concept is similar to the nineteenth hole in golf. This can also...
activities or night skiing. The Bullocks Flat terminus has a large, three-sided station with extensive parking, a pass office, a ski and snowboard
Snowboard
Snowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user...
school, information desk, kiosk, souvenir shop, and ski and snowboard hire shop. This allows day trippers to get tickets and equipment and be loaded for the 10-minute journey to the Perisher Valley station, and a further 7 minutes to Blue Cow. It is adjacent to the Lake Crackenback Resort (accommodation).
Technical details
The majority of the railway is underground, comprising the Bilston and Blue Cow tunnels, 3.3 km (2.1 mi) and 2.6 km (1.6 mi) long respectively. The depth of the tunnels varies from between 4 and 550 m (13.1 and 1,804.5 ft), and their diameterDiameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
between 5 and 5.5 m (16.4 and 18 ft). 30 kg/m second hand rail from State Rail was used to build the line, and two electrical substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
s are fed with 33 kV power, and output 1.5 kV DC for the overhead wiring.
Each of the carriage
Railroad car
A railroad car or railway vehicle , also known as a bogie in Indian English, is a vehicle on a rail transport system that is used for the carrying of cargo or passengers. Cars can be coupled together into a train and hauled by one or more locomotives...
s, which typically make up a 4, 3 or 2-carriage train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
, is 16.8 m (55.1 ft) long and 3.8 m (12.5 ft) wide, and can carry 225 passengers. This provides for the movement of around 4,500 people per hour. Eleven passenger cars in total were acquired, 4 motor cars
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
, 4 driving trailers
Control car (rail)
A control car is a generic term for a non-powered railroad vehicle that can control operation of a train from the end opposite to the position of the locomotive...
and 3 non driving trailers. The motor cars each have four 301 kW traction motor
Traction motor
Traction motor refers to an electric motor providing the primary rotational torque of a machine, usually for conversion into linear motion ....
s, making them the most powerful rack railway vehicles in the world. The braking system is mixed regenerative
Regenerative brake
A regenerative brake is an energy recovery mechanism which slows a vehicle or object down by converting its kinetic energy into another form, which can be either used immediately or stored until needed...
and rheostatic
Dynamic braking
Dynamic braking is the use of the electric traction motors of a railroad vehicle as generators when slowing the Locomotive. It is termed rheostatic if the generated electrical power is dissipated as heat in brake grid resistors, and regenerative if the power is returned to the supply line...
. The train is capable of 40 km/h (24.9 mph), however this is limited during the downhill journey to 21 km/h (13 mph).
Two 'S' open wagons were acquired from the NSW State Rail Authority for freight traffic, and have been cut down to flat wagons
Flatcar
A flatcar is a piece of railroad or railway rolling stock that consists of an open, flat deck on four or six wheels or a pair of trucks or bogies . The deck of the car can be wood or steel, and the sides of the deck can include pockets for stakes or tie-down points to secure loads...
.
The rack system Skitube operates on the Lamella System, which was developed by the Von Roll company.
Stations
- Blue CowBlue Cow, New South WalesBlue Cow is part of Perisher ski resort in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire. It is within the Kosciuszko National Park, and is administered by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service . During winter months, the only access to the...
- Bullocks Flat
- Perisher ValleyPerisher Valley, New South WalesPerisher Valley is a ski resort village in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire. It is primarily a winter only resort village, although all year round accommodation is available. It is within the Kosciuszko National Park, and is administered by The New South...