Electric Train Desparation

Headed to Strathpine footbridge this afternoon to try and get a freight or two. With only half an hour to spend, I made the most of it, and in shear desparation, took photos of electric trains. Below are what I managed to get. Some are going away shots.

Enjoy

Workshop Museum Visit

Went for a visit to the Workshops Museum at Ipswich QLD. I have been a few times before, and recommend it highly to anyone interested in railways. There is also plenty for the kids to do. Below are a few photos from the day.


Tanker OC1, painted in a special BP gold livery. Very nice!


A rather small bogie, with different wheels discs.


1710 set up as a drvier simulator. Wish I had one at home!!


1281 painted in a special livery.

1262 used to display the insides of a locomotive.

Special car 445, built at Ipswich in 1903. I found the number on the side of the carriage quite unique with a mixed font.

Enjoy

PNQ

Fluked a sighting of a northbound PNQ train this afternoon near Geebung. A few interesting sightings:

1. The front 3-pack was fitted with 4 reefer containers and 2 genset containers. The genset containers were 20ft flat racks with two fuel tanks ans a genset attached to the top of the flat rack. The genset containers were in position 2 and 5, and powered a container on either side of the genset.
2. One container on the train was a coil steel 'butter box'. The unusual thing was that it was painted in TOLL green, with NQX TOLL (in Toll text style) on the side. Very nice.

Enjoy

LDP Cab Shot

One job this week involved sitting on an LDP at Acacia Ridge. Here is a photo of the driver console and brake stand.

Enjoy

Australian Railways Illustrated

For those that haven't subscribed, I have attached a snippet from a promo flyer.

Each ARI edition will have a wagon article by me, with details including wagon history, a description, and a run down of the operations. There are also a few photos, on the two page spread.

The first edition (out now) contains the RCKF Coil Steel Wagon. The next edition will have a more Central Australia feel about it.

Subscribe - you won't be dissapointed!


You are invited to participate in the newest rail industry magazine
– Australian Railways Illustrated – for the latest news and information on the railway industry today together with journeys back to yesteryear.
Produced bi-monthly, ARI will feature as many of Australia’s premier rail photographers as possible. It is our aim to present the very best railway images and content for your viewing pleasure.
ARI is available by subscription for $49.75 for 6 issues (AU$88.00 Overseas) by completing the Invitation for Subscription below.
ARI will also be available from selected local hobby shop for $9.95.
Enquires to: arimagazine@gmail.com

New QHBH

Sux not to have your camera at the ready when you are doing 110km/h down the Pacific Highway!

Noted near the NSW border, was QHBH 55436 on the back of a truck, obviously on the way to Casino for placement onto rails. This hopper would have been built by QR's RACS division.

The RACS built hoppers have a small bold print databoard, where as the UGL Taree built hoppers have a taller style text on the databoard.

Cheers

5NY3 Goulburn

Some lucky timing on Thursday, allowed me to capture 5NY3 pulling into Goulburn station for a crew change.


NR96/55


Upgraded slab wagon RKGF 20934 with bright yellow stanchions.


RKWY 4118 with a load of telegraph poles.

Former RCDX, now RKCX 95, fitted with a new green PN tarp.

RKCX 3 is fitted with a tarp which is a different shade of green.

Jumbo coil convert NCFF 21508 looks rather out of place without a 20ft scrap bin loaded in the middle section.

Close up of RKVY tilt bed bogie and databoard.

Enjoy

More SCT- 3MP9

Always a favourite when I am in Adelaide, is the early morning MP9 arrival and departure. Here are some wagons shots o the inbound train, and some wagons added in Adelaide. All the shots areeither fom Islington station or Kilburn station.


On time, arriving at 0730 into Islington. Locos are SCT002, SCT015 and SCT004. SCT002 would be detached and the rear two would continue to Perth.


Reefer ARFY 2187 with anew Carrier Unit fitted.


Prior to deprture, the Adelaide to Perth portion is added to the train. This portion includes a crew car, plus various wagns shown below.

Crew Car PSDS 2280 "Peterborough Boys" is a former NSW SDS car which was converted by Gemco in perth.


Loaded with timber is PQCY 979. This former victorian VQCY has been modified, with the installation of large bulk heads, gate brackets, and 70t bogies.


Double stacked well wagon PWWY 0024 is loaded with a standard SCT container, and a half height SCT curtain sided container, decorated in the Coca Cola livery.

New 80ft container flat PQIY 0017 is carrying a small concrete pump truck on a Macfeld transiflat. Loads like this are quite unique to the Adelaide Perth corridor.

PQMY 3050 has been loaded in a rather strange way. The 40ft container is fitted onto a truck skel, which is then tied down to the wagon. The reefer was running at the time, so it is most likely loaded with perishable goods. It would think that SCT are simply saving space on the train, as the reefer unit is at the back of the trailer, making it unsuitable to unload if it were to stay on the trainer.

Greater Freighter PBHY 0003 is only one of a few wagons to carry the Greater Freighter lettering in the back stripe. The others that I am aware of are 0001 and 0002. Wagons in the mid number range carry the Big W logos, while the later builds carry no special signage on them.

Enjoy!

SCT PM9

After seeing SCT depart Islington around 6pm, I took chase, trying to beat it to North Adelaide for a few shots before the sun went down. Here are the results. The train comprised of


SCT005 (Leading SCT014 and SCT001).


PQFY 4209 Inline Fuel Tanker.


PQIY 0003 80ft container flat with two SCT 40ft reefer containers. The Containers are R001 and R033. R033 arrived in Melbourne, from China, on 4th January 2010.


ABSY 4435? former ABFY van with 70t bogies fitted.

PWWY 0014 well wagon built by Bradken in NSW.

PBGY 0134 built by Gemco. Either this van has seen little use or has been washed as it was rather sparkling.

ARFY 2400 reefer van. This was a former 75ft ROX flat wagon.

ARBY 2682 reefer van. This was a former ABFY with 70t bogies fitted, louvers removed, and a freezer installed in the end section.


QQJY 4273 formed part of the rear portion of the train. Approximately 30 QR container wagons were on the rear of the train, bound for Melbourne.

Enjoy

Islington Workshops

I managed a few photos around Islington Workshops late this afternoon. Here is a selection of shots from today.


Coote/Green Trains 8026 (formerly 80s1) with an unusual logo on the front. (In order to stop photo theft, I have watermarked the image).


CFCLA Crew Car CDCY 279, having returned from use with the Army.


Coote SOCY open wagons

Bluebird's shunt unit, 53 (formerly 533).

Original NRC prototype articulated 5-pack RQYY 7004 is at Bluebird for some maintenance attention. After near on 15 years in high km intermodal service, this wagon seems to be standing up to the test of time.

Enjoy

4PW4

PW4 rolled through at lunch time with a very interesting collection of steel wagons.


RCAF 20602 with twistlocks to carry a scrap container in the middle. Only a few RCAF wagons have this feature, as the mod was generally applied to the RCQF class which has 70t bogies. They were recoded RCBF.


RCSF 54 shows both its origianl NRC paint scheme (orange top band) and the more recent PN yellow band.


Normally running between Port Kembla and Brisbane, this is the first NCFF I have seen on the south. NCFF 21557 is fitted with 2 permanent coil cradles. These wagons often have a scrap container in the middle section, similar to the RCBF class.


Big Daddy RKXF 60205 plate steel wagon. There are not many old clunkers around these days, but the RKXF plate wagons manage to survive.


RCDX 53 has finally had the AN logo repainted. Most of the RCDX class have had the AN logos left in the middle panel for many years.


Following on from the RCDX 12 story yesterday, here is RKCX 4003. It has a similar heritage, as it was former SAR ELX536, and became part of the Victorian fleet. It was RCCX 3, but was recoded to 4003 due to a clash with RCVX 3, when everything was lumped as the RKCX class. Note that 4003 doesn't have a ridge pole. It also have the Laysaghts Coil sign next to the databoard.

Enjoy

Weekend Steelink Wrap Up

A few Steelink wagon photos from th last few days. Most wagons have some interest factor or unusual history behind them.


RCDX 18, fitted with a NSW XGA type bogie. These were quite uncommon under these wagons, but recent years has seen PN fit almost any type of 'X' type bogie into an 'X' type wagon. The RCDX fleet is normally fitted with XLA style bogies (although they are the SA version - AGXD). On the same train RCDX 32 also had an XA bogie fitted.

RCDX 12 has an interesting history. It was built as SAR ELX505, and was given to the Vics following a derailment (more info can be found in Bogie Freight Wagons by Norm Bray/Peter Vincent). This SAR ELX was recoded as VOSX 12 (then to VCCX/RCCX), then should have become RKCX 12 (like the rest of the RCCX fleet). However, it is now carrying the RCDX code (not sure if it ever was an RKCX).

The RCDX code has strictly been for former SGX/FCD (AOCX) type wagons with the ribbed ends. This is the only former ELX in the RCDX fleet. It should definately be an RKCX also, as it has a ridge pole for a tarp.

The photo below shows the Lysaghts sign it still carries from it's earlier days.

An RRDY with 3 slag containers bound for Newcastle.

RKCX 95, formerly RCDX 95, is fitted with a fancy green PN tarp. There are a handful of former RCDX open wagons which are fitted with ridge poles and have been recoded RKCX. Also on the train was RKCX 59 (also in AN colours).

RKEX 2 with some unusual additions to the end sections. This is the only RKEX with these larger ends.

An RKCX withouth a tarp fitted, but a moveable divider is placed in the middle of the wagon to keep the two short loads from shifting inside.

Enjoy!