Top and tail

<h2 id="australia">Australia</h2>
<p>In New South Wales the <a href="/facts/New_South_Wales_XPT/hpSzc1l8">XPT</a> is a train with a light weight locomotive at either end. It is based on the British <a href="/facts/InterCity_125/zvBSgYfP">HST</a>.  The locomotive at the front operates at full traction power, while the locomotive at the rear operates at half power, the other half powering lighting and air conditioning, etc.  This power arrangement is needed to cater with steep 1 in 40 (2.5%, or 25<a href="/facts/Permille/3xNDvE9l">‰</a>) and 1 in 33 (3%, or 30‰) <a href="/facts/Grade_(slope)/SlyxwANp">gradients</a>.
</p><p>Occasionally a short XPT train operates with only one engine and fewer carriages, in which case the whole train must be turned on a <a href="/facts/Wye_(rail)/9t4YyIQA">triangle</a> such as at <a href="/facts/Dubbo/Il0GCuMR">Dubbo</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p><p>Top and tail operation is also used for ballast trains which have to move up and down a line undergoing track maintenance. It is safer to drive these trains from the front when operating in "reverse".
</p>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Vamos, Samantha R. (Aug 18, 2015). Alphabet Trains (Children's book). Charlesbridge Publishing. ISBN 9781607348573. Retrieved 6 October 2017. <a href="9781607348573" target="_blank">9781607348573</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"ARTC" (PDF). www.sa-trackandsignal.net. Retrieved 2019-12-30. <a href="http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR454.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.sa-trackandsignal.net/Pdf%20files/ARTC/AR454.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Top and tail open-in-new

Top and tail