I Love Flatracks!

Some awesome loads on SLZU Caru Leasing flatracks recently.  Both these loads were on Aurizon MB7/BM7 services.

A load of utes coming over from WA.

A load of Black Edition camper trailers heading to WA.

Enjoy!

Repaired RLSY

Spotted this patchwork RLSY 18703 on a PS6 service last week.  The end panels have been removed and blanked off and painted black.  One for the modellers.

Enjoy!

Long End Leading

SCT service MB9 came up from Melbourne with a single SCT loco the other day.  It was cab leading to Moss Vale where it turned on the triangle to run long end leading to Sydney (Leightonfield), where another SCT loco was added off the opposing BM9 service.  The added SCT was cab facing north, so the train departed Sydney as back to back SCTs.  

Enjoy!

CGSY with Stainless Stripes

A shot of a Qube grain train coming through Mittagong last week.  The CGSY rake still runs via Sydney as it appears that it isn't yet certified to run down the Illawarra Mountain.

Double QBX on a rake of 40 CGSY grain hoppers.

CGSY 4502 with the new stainless steel strips to reduce noise when empty.  4522, 4538 and 4542 also had the new strips fitted.

Enjoy!

Updated Breeze Page

If you have a look over to the left, you will see a Breeze Logistics page.  It has been updated with some new photos and additional numbering information.

Enjoy!

It don't matter if it's Black and White

Sorry for the bad pun on a Michael Jackson song.  Below are two black and white photos from the last week, using the backlit morning scene.

SCT's MB9 rounding the curves at Aylmerton

A down Moss Vale passenger service is only recognised by the headlights.

Enjoy!

QR Cattle KOJX

Had a short trip to Townsville the other week.  Here is a KOJX sitting on the Queensland Nickle loops awaiting its fate.

Enjoy!

VTGX Liveries

With the recent release of the SDS Models GS gas tankers in HO scale, I wanted to get one to put on my model steel train dating to the early 2000s.  My inspiration is a 35mm film photo I took at Goulburn of tank VTGX 009 on NP2 SteelLink service.  

While the image isn't dated (I haven't looked for the negatives and dates as yet), I can date the photo to around 2000-2001 both from memory, the fact it isn't digital, and the bearing axle box colours.  

VTGX 009 on an NRC SteelLink service at Goulburn around 2000 to 2001.  

To replicate this wagon I thought that I would buy VTGX 008 in Incitec livery, however after doing some research it seems that these gas tankers had some very quickly changing liveries. 

My photo shows VTGX 009 which was built at AFL 6.  It has round bolster support posts. The model from SDS is of VTGX 008 which was built as GS 402 as has square bolster support posts. 

SDS image of VTGX 008 in model form.

The model of VTGX 008 is based on this great photo from Norm Bray in 1996 here. Surprisingly, this livery is different to the one on VTGX 009 that I saw only a few years later.

After digging around, I was able to find some photos of VTGX wagons in Chemtrans livery from 1998 here.  The link shows VTGX 009, and other photos show 007 and 008 in the same Chemtrans livery in 1998.  This threw me off track a bit, as I couldn't work out where my photos fitted into the livery timeline.  Surely Chemtrans livery wasn't in between two Incitec liveries??

After looking further at my photo, and a few other shots from the early 2000s, I can see that the Incitec wording (above the stripes) is on a new white background covering the Chemtrans text, plus the ladder was now blanked off, making it likely to be a more recent livery than Chemtrans without the ladder blanked off.  I then found that Chemtrans was sold to Heggies in 1998, and as such, the tanks must have gone back to Incitec ownership.

I photoed all 5 Incitec tanks in 2012, and they can be seen here.  Interestingly, all tanks except VTGX 009 have evidence of the early 1996 Incitec livery (which is evident by the high black stripe).  

VTGX 009 with no evidence of the first Incitec livery.

VTGX 008 showing evidence of the first Incitec livery by the high black stripe.

So, from the photos and information at hand:

1. 4 of the 5 tank had the early Incitec livery around 1996. (009 did not).
2. It is unknown what livery 009 had in the mid 1990s?  (Maybe Aftrans?)
3. All 5 tanks had Chemtrans livery in 1998
4. All 5 tanks had Incitec mk2 livery in early 2000s
5. I don't think the tankers ran much from the mid 2000s, and may have ceased running in the early 2000s.  
6. All 5 tanks were scrapped in late 2013 at Koorgang Island I believe.

If you have any photos, information, or comments, pleae post them in the comments section of the blog.

Cheers

New Old Contistretch Coil Wagons

Seems that a few RCJY flats have been modified for carrying Contistretch from Newcastle. 

The RCJY wagons formerly had fixed jumbo coil cradles on the deck as per my photos here and here.

The modification includes fitting of the cones to restrain each coil, and a barrier rail around the load.

Auscision do a model of the RCJY as a jumbo coil wagon, (with removable cradles) so it could be a good start for a kit-bash project.  

Contistretch has been moved for a while now in the CS cradles on RQRY and PRRY wagons.  From waht I can tell, most of this product goes to Queensland by rail.

Some more info on Contistretch Link.

RCJY 4216 at Morandoo

A close up on RCJY 4216

RCJY 2048, still with that yellow bogie.  First sighted in 2010 here

Original CS14 cradle fitted to RQRY 1009

Enjoy!

Black Cav Rides Again

A few weeks ago it was leading a container train, today it was leading an SSR coal train from Tahmoor to Newcastle.  

CF4412/4404/4411 leading 46 PHTH coal wagons at Maldon.  

Enjoy!

Branchline Train

A nice little transfer job graced the rails today, having run from Newcastle the night before.  The single 48 class (SSR owned) hauling 4 Cargill WGSY wagons was bound for Goulburn.

Enjoy!