17 March 2024

AusTube Mills (ATMU) returning empty...

After posting a few weeks ago about the new AusTube Mills flatracks (42PJ model) and their various loading, I managed to get some shots the other day of them returning empty to Newcastle and Brisbane.

They are loaded in stacks three high, with 12 x 5000kg and 2500kg Silverback straps tying the top two down to the base flat.  It doesn't seem to matter if they are loaded front or rear in their stacking.

The middle posts are also lowered.  Pretty neat stacking.

Enjoy! 








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10 March 2024

Aurizon Inline Fueller

Aurizon's second Sydney to Perth service recently commenced and this particular service operates an inline fuel arrangement, where as the original service doesn't.

After seeing it a few times, I finally got a photo last week.  The set up is mounted on wagon QQYY 57834-S, with tank QRIF 0004 mounted on skid platform QRIP 04.  The skid arrangement allows the ISO tank container to be pretty stock-standard rather than having a specialised tank containers, with all the smarts built into the skid platform under the tank.  

This concept goes back to at least the early 93 class and Pacific National from around 2010.  I have a few shots on my Blog (search for 'inline') and also scored a photo 10 years ago of the PN setup here.

In addition to the tank and skid, the QQY carries a modified Cronos flatrack CRTU 751705-8.  This is probably Aurizon owned from a pre-cast concrete transport job a few years ago in QLD.  They have modified this 22P3 flatrack with concrete slabs obviously to prevent dynamic unloading on the very front axle of the wagon, as an empty flat would be trouble on a downhill grade with heavy dynamic braking and a decent trailing load.  The flat rack also features an MU cable, main res connection, and fuel hose.  The MR and MU likely power and control the fuel skid.

Enjoy!  

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23 February 2024

AusTube Mills Flatracks

AusTube Mills have just taken delivery of more than 150 flatracks for steel product transport.  They are coded ATMU and are numbered in the 400000 series.  They have only started turning up on PN services this week!

If you think they look like the Infrabuild IFRU flatracks, that is because AusTube Mills is a division of  Infrabuild.  It is most likely these flatracks have come from CSL also.     

These flatracks are painted black and stand at 2.5m high (8'3") at the end posts.  The end posts are collapsible to allow stacking but the centre stanchions appear to require removal before stacking.

It appears that these may be replacing a number of older 42P3 shipping flatracks and possibly also K&S KT and KHS flatracks that have previously moved this product from the manufacturing hubs in Brisbane and Newcastle, although the K&S flatracks were moving Orrcon steel (Bluescope).    

During the week, these new ATMU flatracks have appeared on NY3, BM4, and SM2 services, with clear, black, and no wrapping around the product.  Appears the clear wrap is from Newcastle and the black is from Brisbane.  

These look awesome - Enjoy!







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10 February 2024

Port Chalmers Straddles

We had a great day and a half berthed at Port Chamlers, with awesome views over the container terminal.  The port is run primarily with manned Kalmar straddles and a few forklifts.  The straddles run most of the boxes to and from the stacks to under the quayside gantry cranes.

I observed over a dozen straddles running around, with both 9 and 12 metre high varieties.   Numbers 22-28 appear to be CSC 350 models (9m), 29-32 appear to be CSC 450 models (12m), 35 and 36 were diesel-electric ESC 350 models, and 37 was an ESC 450 model.  

Enjoy the shots!




























 

04 February 2024

Port Chalmers NZ

We had a day and a half in Port Chalmers, near Dunedin NZ (South Island).  It is a nice little town with a decent container and log port.

From what I can tell, trucks are pretty much banned from running to the port, and instead, there are constant port shuttles running back and forth from Dunedin.  

The shuttles are run by a DSG loco built by Toshiba in 1981, and are remote controlled by a driver on the footplate with a control pack.  

The port sidings comprise of 4 track with run arounds, and most of the freight is carried by Maersk shipping lines.  

The most interesting thing I found was that they unload and load the train with straddles.  I haven't seen this done at any other terminal but would be interested if anyone knows of a terminal where rail is loaded and unloaded with straddles.  

I was lucky enough to capture four straddles all unloading at the same time on rail.  Must have been in a hurry to strip the rake for departure.  

More port photos next week.

Enjoy! 








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31 January 2024

Napier Port NZ

During December I went on a cruise to NZ and stopped at some pretty cool ports.  One of the stops was Napier in the North Island.  The view from the balcony was pretty cool, with lots of port action including loading and unloading the Louise Monrovia which is a former Hanjin container ship.
 

The Louise Monrovia being serviced by large Terex dockside mobile cranes.

On the what was a three-pack of Titan Artic Store reefers (TITU) which get placed together to make a cool room that is three containers wide.  On this side are all tarped openings and on the other side were two solid walls to make up the external walls of the cool room.  

A Tex Seatrade marked 45R1 reefer.

Reefer stacks on power.  The walkways and platforms allow staff to connect power to the reefers.

A stack of Maersk 22R1 reefers.  NZ operate a lot of reefers for both imports and exports.

A stack of Cosco Shipping 45G1 containers.  

Empty container fork FL87, an Omega 7ECH high mast.

Fork FL76, and Omega 54E DCH

Sister fork FL73, and Omega 54E DCH

FL73 again.

FL17, a Konecranes Liftace FDC 480 G4 delivered in 2017.

Sister fork FL16, the same specs as FL17.

FL16 again

FL11 is the same as FL16 and FL17, but marked as Terex brand which was subsequently taken over by Konecranes in 2017.  FL12 is the same as FL11.  

A busy little junction with FL16, FL17, FL73 and FL76 all in frame, shuffling containers around the port.

Enjoy!