Alco 48 class loco pics [Archive] - Australian Land Rover Owners

3-Gees

5th December 2010, 04:47 PM

They sure are !,they look so small when next to newer locos like 80&81 class and even 45's but they just keep on keeping on and you gotta' love the sound when you notch them up a bit!!!.I was privillaged to get a cab ride in this consist from Coota' to Junee:D,was great and got it on video!!,just have to edit it to put on u-tube.You must have some good stories from those years!!.
Andy,there's heaps of sites on these and any train stuff,a good aussie one is Railpage Australia,but there are heaps,for photos,Railpictures.net or Railvideos.net are good if like me,your into USA railroads,just google it baby!!!:D
Cheers Gregg;)

p38arover

5th December 2010, 04:54 PM

Dad was an engineer with AE Goodwin at St Marys building the 44 Class back in the late Fifties - hence the name Goodwin-Alco (they were the US Alco company design).

He then went to Clyde to work on the 48 Class.

3-Gees

5th December 2010, 05:15 PM

Nice!!!and one of my favourite looking Aussie locos,the 44's are another legendary loco thats being used in service today!!:),it's up there with the famous Alco PA1 of the Santa Fe era,the loco it was modeled on,I think?

drivesafe

5th December 2010, 05:25 PM

Hi 3-Gees, the 930 class in South Australia is modelled on the Alco PA1, the 44 class is actually a variant of the Alco FA1 and there were very similar locos in Spain and Greece, and South Australia.

I do agree with you that the Alco PA1s and PB1s in Santa Fe’s War Bonnet colour scheme is the best looking diesel loco on earth.

The GG1 is my favourite loco of locos.

3-Gees

5th December 2010, 05:55 PM

Absolutely Drivesafe,every time I see a photo of one I get all nostalgic:( and wish i was 30 years older!!!Those days of r-roading are over but at least I'm in the industry now,even though it's nowhere the "family" it was in the past!.Regarding the GG1's,can't say I'm a big electric loco fan but must agree they are a beast:eek:,have you seen the crash on the Pensy rr station(can;t remember which one?),the loco crashed into the station with failed breaks(dead end platforms),then fell through twwo floors to subway below!!.No-one was killed and they pulled it out,rebuilt it and it served the Pensy' until it was retired over a decade later:eek:,now thats a tough locomotive!!!:D,there's one on display in the Pensy RR museum...........???I have to get to the States:p

Dinty

5th December 2010, 06:08 PM

G'day All, great pix, thanks for sharing, and be sure to let us know when you have uploaded to youtube, cheers Dennis:angel:

3-Gees

5th December 2010, 07:17 PM

Shall do,once I work out how to do it:angel:!!!,only new to this internet thingy:D,cheers Gregg!

keith73

5th December 2010, 07:39 PM

I used to work for Bradken Rail in Mittagong until they shut it down.In the first years i was there we done alot of locom work and some how managed got to have a short drive of a 48 class while shunting other loco's around and now i work for EDI Downer in Bathurst.

robbotd5

5th December 2010, 08:16 PM

Thanks for the photos mate, although I'm a steam fan died in the wool, I can appreciate some of the older Diesels namely the 48 and the 44 class. A long time ago while I was volunteering for the Richmond vale railway, I drove under instruction, a (from memory) 0-6-0 Ruston Hornsby Diesel hydraulic loco. It was at the Lachlan valley railway in Cowra. Wow, what an experiance. The massive 6cyl engine revving and the water gin that I was attatched to started moving onto the turntable......that was ok, but opening the regulator on a steam locomotive had me hooked for life.....I drove "Marjorie" under instruction and to this day it is a memory that I hang on to. 5" live steam is my next hobby.
Regards
Robbo.

3-Gees

5th December 2010, 08:55 PM

Lucky buggers:D,would love to go driving one day ,but signals will have to do for the time being!!,your right about steam Robbo,they have a magical feel about them and they really do seem alive,but they're a lot of work,even in 5" guage!! you've more patience than me:D
Gregg:)

Dreamer

5th December 2010, 09:05 PM

Did my trade with the railways NSW. lots of work at Eveleigh on 42's 44's and 48's. 48's about 600hp I now drive Kenworth fuel truck about 620 hp, funny how things change. Loved the art deco lines of the 42 class.

isuzutoo-eh

5th December 2010, 09:15 PM

Once heard, the sound of an Alco opening up can never be forgotten :)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1528.jpg
(This one is preserved operational at Thirlmere)

drivesafe

5th December 2010, 09:18 PM

even though it's nowhere the "family" it was in the past!.
Mate, is that the gospel. When I first left the job, that was one thing I missed. As you say, it doesn’t exist anymore and I’ve still got a lot of mates on the job.

Without fail, everyone of them is sweating on the day they retire and one mate, every time I phone him while he’s at work, he starts the conversation with the latest countdown to the day he retires

Regarding the GG1's,can't say I'm a big electric loco fan but must agree they are a beast:eek:,have you seen the crash on the Pensy rr station(can;t remember which one?),the loco crashed into the station with failed breaks(dead end platforms),then fell through twwo floors to subway below!!.No-one was killed and they pulled it out,rebuilt it and it served the Pensy' until it was retired over a decade later:eek:,now thats a tough locomotive!!!:D,there's one on display in the Pensy RR museum...........???I have to get to the States:p

As to the GG1 crash, I have seen that in a number of videos on the GG1s.

There is a GG1 in running order at ( could be wrong with the name ) the Southshore Railroad museum, BUT it’s in Amtrak colours and looks crap.

I have to get to the States:p

So do I and I want to spend a lot of time at Tehachapi Loop.

drivesafe

5th December 2010, 09:33 PM

This is a golden oldie, this was a work train stopped just west of Gravesend, on the Inverell line, circa 1975

http://www.traxide.com.au/railpics/4872-Gravesend-1976 copy.jpg

groucho

5th December 2010, 10:48 PM

A work weary 48 at Port Kembla

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1480.jpg

Pedro_The_Swift

6th December 2010, 06:29 AM

It seems to me the only diesels EVER on the Illawarra Line were 48's,
maybe an occasional 44 Express,,

What was the engine progression on the Southern Aurora?

drivesafe

6th December 2010, 07:18 AM

Can never recall seeing a 48 on the Southern Aurora!

There were a few trains, where there weight meant only main line units could be used to keep their time table.

The Southern Aurora, the Spirit of Progress, the Intercapital Daylight Express, the Central West Express ( west from Lithgow ), the Brisbane Limited and the Newcastle Fliers ( north from Gosford ) were all too heavy for 48s ( and 49s ) and if I remember correctly, there were speed limits on the earlier versions of the 48s, limiting them to 60 MPH.

Only from about 4861 onwards were capable of 70 MPH.

The irony is that while they entered service as branch line and shunting engines, today there is nothing more impressive than seeing four 48s at the head of a train climbing over the Liverpool Range with three 80 class pushing at the other end.

3-Gees

6th December 2010, 05:27 PM

I think I've opened a can of worms here:D,but what a great can it is!!!!I just got back from down south,spent two days at the Liverpool range,no 48's there:( but plenty in Parkes(going back in the new year),so Drivesafe,when are we going to Tehachapi???........just name the date!!!!!,I model BNSF in HO and would love to see it for real:eek:.A GG1 in Amtrak colours...that should be illegal:o,but a PA in war-bonnet scheme..now your talking!!,it's great to here all the stories coming out re the 48"s,thanks for sharing them,Landies and trains......add a good single malt and life's not too bad:D
Cheers Gregg;)

drivesafe

6th December 2010, 06:36 PM

Hi 3-Gees and lucky you, that’s one of my favourite train watching spots. I’ve got loads of video from around and over the Liverpool Range, including heaps shots at Ardglen.

If I can ever get my finger out, I did a couple of cab rides over the range a few years back and shot video in both directions from the front of the Explorer set.

I’ll try to get some time over Christmas and post up some of the cab shots.

I would love to take you up on a trip the Tehachapi. BTW, have you ever heard of a sound recording called “Mr D’s Machine”. It was made in 1969 but is now available on CD.

That has some great sound recordings of the old type GMs working their way around the loop. Sounds incredible.

scanfor

6th December 2010, 08:30 PM

We used to hate it when they stuck a "bloody 48 class" on behind an 81.
As mentioned earlier, the 48's speed was limited (80km/h if I remember) and just slowed everything down.
The 81's could do the 125km/h on the South unencumbered.

It was rare to see a 48 on country passenger trains - usually 80's, 45's and 442's on the North Coast, 44's and 80's North and West and 81's and 422's on the South (sometimes a 421). I think that they ran to Illawarra, although they had the Grey-Ghost (44 class painted silver) at the head of the Budd set.

Another great thing to see was a 48 and 45 together as "Father and Son" -at first glance they looked the same, just that one was about %80 the size of the other - "scaled-down".

Bushie

6th December 2010, 08:39 PM

48s used to run all the time on the Illawarra line, was great to catch the 'steamer' from Central to home when I was at uni.

Martyn

scanfor

6th December 2010, 08:43 PM

I wasn't fortunate enough to see steam in Sydney - I can only imagine looking down towards the terminal on a Friday night with all the expresses and mail trains heading out.

drivesafe

6th December 2010, 09:15 PM

As mentioned earlier, the 48's speed was limited (80km/h if I remember) and just slowed everything down.
The 81's could do the 125km/h on the South unencumbered.

Off the subject of 48s’ I spent my last years on the ETR ( suburban electrics ) and loved it.

I often got called in on days off to do foreign jobs, jobs in other depots.

One of the best foreign jobs I did was a Campbelltown Saturday night rostered job. Someone at Campbelltown went sick at the last minute and they couldn’t get a local to cover the running.

The normal running was to do a couple of runs around the Bankstown circle then after the meal break, I was to relive a driver at Central, run the train up to and over the emergency crossover just south of Goulburn Street and then change ends and work the train to Campbelltown.

The reason for running through the emergency crossover was to keep the tracks and overhead clean. I had never done that one before.

The night ( morning ) I was to work the train on the last leg to Campbelltown, there was overhead working being done between Liverpool and Campbelltown and my train was to be diesel hauled for the last section.

I worked the train as normal to Auburn and then into Clyde good yard.

There was an 80 class waiting and we coupled up and waited for the road ( waited for the signal to clear to allow use back out on the main line ).

While the guard and I coupled up, the fireman showed up with a some Chinese meals for him and the driver. ( don’t know where he got it, it was after 1 am ).

There was nothing else I had to do so I jumped up in the cab of the 80 class.

The driver and fireman were feeding away when we got the road.

I told the driver I hadn’t driven an 80 class before but if he wanted a break I’d be happy to a go.

He couldn’t get out of the seat quick enough.

Although a lot slower off the mark then a suburban electric, it was still pretty easy to run the time table. The 80 class pulling a 4 car suburban would be like a Mack truck pulling a camper trailer.

Between liverpool and Campbelltown is some pretty fast running and I just drove to the speed boards.

A couple of times the fireman got up and looked at the speedo.

On the third time I asked him if anything was wrong, we were doing 120 KPH.

His reply was’ No it’s just that I have never been this fast before”

If I had ever considered going back to the freight side, I was permanently cured there and then.

drivesafe

6th December 2010, 09:22 PM

I wasn't fortunate enough to see steam in Sydney - I can only imagine looking down towards the terminal on a Friday night with all the expresses and mail trains heading out.

I started on the job during the last 3 years of of steam on the NSWGR and my first fireman's job was on a 19 class in Darling Harbour yard.

I still reckon there is nothing as spectacular as a steamer in full stride in the middle of winter, as long as someone else is firing it.

I HATED WORKING ON THEM.

scanfor

6th December 2010, 09:26 PM

Can you imagine firing the Brisbane Limited up the Cowan Bank with a 38? Those guys must have been fit. Mechanical stokers would have seemed like Christmas to them.

clubagreenie

6th December 2010, 10:36 PM

Loved the art deco lines of the 42 class.

Couldn't agree more. Would have to be my fave diesel.

As for sound recordings someone mentioned earlier, Steel Rails Under Thundering Skies is a great vinyl I have which you can find on Amazon occasionally. But need surround processor as it was converted from original recordings, but sounds fantastic.

p38arover

6th December 2010, 11:12 PM

I think the diesel I like the sound of most is a Deltic.

It's hard to find a good recording - this is the best I've found so far.

YouTube - DELTIC Lives!

Pedro_The_Swift

7th December 2010, 06:29 AM

you'd sound strange too if you looked like this---
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Bushie

7th December 2010, 06:52 AM

48s used to run all the time on the Illawarra line, was great to catch the 'steamer' from Central to home when I was at uni.

Martyn

I wasn't fortunate enough to see steam in Sydney - I can only imagine looking down towards the terminal on a Friday night with all the expresses and mail trains heading out.

Neither was I

"Steamer" in this context was what they used to call the inter-urbans pulled by 48s. (Generally Central to Wollongong)

Martyn

Brian

7th December 2010, 08:26 AM

Sorry,, wrong info for this post
BTW, how can you delete a post?

Brian

7th December 2010, 08:36 AM

"Steamer" in this context was what they used to call the inter-urbans pulled by 48s. (Generally Central to Wollongong)

Martyn

Early 80's did the daily commute from Woy Woy to Sydney, and was a lottery to get a diesel hauled set wooden carriages from the 40's and 50's, occasionally hauled with a steamer, or one of the state of art double deckers, Never forget one day, due to closure of the main line to Hornsby, they pulled us out of Central with the diesel, and attached a steamer on the other end and took us up the suburban line to Hornsby, through the city tunnels and up the north shore.

The look on the faces of people at Town Hall and Wynyard and the north shore stations was priceless.
Especially Wynyard as by then they had a full head of steam up to get up the rise to the bridge.
Brian

RoverP6B

7th December 2010, 11:45 AM

The locomotive hauled trains that used to run down the Illawarra line to Nowra during the 1980s were usually hauled by either a single 44, 422 or 421 class. Typically the load was 5 or 6 cars. Sometimes a single 48 would be used, but more often than not a pair of 48s would be used. On one occasion the train had 7 cars and both a 44 and a 48 were doing the honours.

I recall seeing a photo of two 49 class locos hauling a 7 car Central West Express during the 1970s.

On all the occasions bar one that I travelled on the Brisbane Limited, two 442 class would be used on the 15 or 16 car train. From Sydney to Broadmeadow in both directions two 86 class electrics would haul the train, and both locos were running with both of their pantographs raised.

On that one outstanding occasion on my trips, the train left South Brisbane standard gauge terminal with one 442 being led by a 44 class, number two end leading. The load was 16 cars. At some point during the night an additional 442 class was added in front of the 44 class. That is the only time I have been on a passenger train with three diesel locos and all three were powering. I recall watching the plumes of black rising from each as we slogged up Cowan bank. I suspect it was a loco balance with all three returning the train to Sydney Terminal.

When I travelled on the Intercapital Daylight from Melbourne to Sydney in 1986, we left Melbourne with a 422 class hauling the 8 cars. At Albury the loco was removed and an 81 positioned in its place. My understanding of this is that the 422 class in Victoria could run at the line speed of 115kph whereas the 81 (and the V/Line G class) were limited to 80kph. The use of the more powerful 81 in NSW would also allow the train to maintain speed given the heavy grades that lay ahead, 8 banks of 1 in 40 from memory.

The Melbourne/Sydney Limited ran with 18 cars during my trips and was always hauled by a pair of 81 or G class or a combination of between Sydney and Albury where the leading loco would be removed leaving just a single loco to take the train onto Melbourne. The return journey had a single loco to Albury and then double locos from then onto Sydney.

Ron.

sam_d

7th December 2010, 12:23 PM

Just a quick question (I'm guessing if I'm going to be successful with this question anywhere it'll be here) - does anyone have any decent front on photos of the Class 90 loco? Or, better still, a dimensioned drawing of one?

isuzutoo-eh

7th December 2010, 12:33 PM

I might have a drawing somewhere amongst my collection but it might take a while to find, does Greg Edwards/Data Sheets have the 90? His webpage is down at the moment.

PAT303

7th December 2010, 12:42 PM

Is there a book we can buy that has photo's and spec's on the loco's you guys are talking about?. Pat

sam_d

7th December 2010, 12:49 PM

I might have a drawing somewhere amongst my collection but it might take a while to find, does Greg Edwards/Data Sheets have the 90? His webpage is down at the moment.

Don't go to any special effort finding it (it's not that important really) but thanks anyway :)

I've not be able to get Greg Edwards webpage working either.

Lotz-A-Landies

7th December 2010, 01:26 PM

I wasn't fortunate enough to see steam in Sydney - I can only imagine looking down towards the terminal on a Friday night with all the expresses and mail trains heading out.I did live at Oceana Pde Austinmer in 1961-62 and had a great view of the coal trains always pulled by steam in those days.

There WAS something about steam! :) :)

RoverP6B

7th December 2010, 02:19 PM

PAT303 wrote,...
Is there a book we can buy that has photo's and spec's on the loco's you guys are talking about?.

Hello Pat,

LOCOMOTIVES OF AUSTRALIA 1850s - Leon Oberg - ISBN 9781921719011 - Leon Oberg (http://www.booksforever.com.au/catalog/LOCOMOTIVES_OF_AUSTRALIA_1850s.html)

This in an excellent text, photos, details and specifications. You won't be disappointed.

Ron.

Tote

7th December 2010, 02:31 PM

In my misspent youth I worked in the grounds of Bloomfield Hospital at Orange. We were just at the top of the bank coming from East Fork and one of the other apprentices could tell what the makeup of the locos was from the sound, "that will be two 80's and a 48...."
Used to travel to block release TAFE in Newcastle Mondays on the two car diesel to Lithgow, change to an interurban electric and change at Strathfield for the Flyer usually hauled by a couple of 44s.
Coming home it was the flyer from Newcastle, gin around in Sydney for a few hours then catch the Western Mail home to arrive in Orange at about 4:30, ususaaly hauled by 46 class to Lithgow and a couple of 44s to Orange. Was expected to attend work on Friday as I had a sleeper berth. Always woke up in Lithgow as they attached the diesels and the TAMs got bloody cold going over the mountains. Can sleep anywhere now though....

Regards,
Tote

p38arover

7th December 2010, 04:36 PM

Neither was I

"Steamer" in this context was what they used to call the inter-urbans pulled by 48s. (Generally Central to Wollongong)

Martyn

Back in 1965 when I started work, I used to catch the steam train from Central to Richmond every afternoon. We'd get off at Blacktown to change to an electric train to St Marys (where I lived).

BMKal

7th December 2010, 05:13 PM

I did live at Oceana Pde Austinmer in 1961-62 and had a great view of the coal trains always pulled by steam in those days.

There WAS something about steam! :) :)

We must have been almost neighbours back then. I lived at 3 York Rd in Bellambi during those years - and went to the convent school opposite the Rex Hotel in Thirroul (spelling ?). My father worked at Coal Cliff. Trains used to run along the back fence.

Before that, we lived in the big old white two storey mansion at Stanwell Park. The trains ran along the back fence of that place too.

Have only ever been back there once since for a look - and got well and truly lost. :D

3-Gees

7th December 2010, 05:29 PM

Some great memories coming out here:D,if you want to hear some good Deltics,gooogle..cold starting delta locos",theres some classic stuff on that,if I thought I missed out on the good years before,you guys have proved it now!,Ican't face another narrow guage muffled box' with a gay sounding horn:eek:....Drivesafe...we need to talk!!!,time to get my passport!!:DMaybe we should organise a video night/chinwag on all things rail??,keep em' coming,I'll try and post my 48 cab ride video this week,also footage of the train rounding Bethungra spiral.
Gregg:)

Pedro_The_Swift

7th December 2010, 05:54 PM

I'm just wondering if there would be any interest in a

"Loco" Forum---
(and how about Plum Loco as its title:p:p)

I know a guy that could help--;)

Lotz-A-Landies

7th December 2010, 06:02 PM

We must have been almost neighbours back then. <snip> I went to Austinmer Public as I was only a little kid. When you think about it, what can be better than looking down at steam locos from your bedroom when you're young! :)

drivesafe

7th December 2010, 06:04 PM

Hi again Gregg, I wish I had invested in “Movie” camera when I first started on the railways. I would have had loads of footage that is just not possible now.

When I was at Delec ( Enfield ) in the early 70s, my regular mate was an ex Hornsby driver and in the 70s there were still two loco crews at Hornsby.

In those days, 6 nights a week a 48 ran a shunting trip that started in Hornsby and shunted sidings all the way down the North Shore to St Leonards. On week night they ran round the train and return to Hornsby.

On Saturday Night / Sunday morning, after finishing the shunting at St Leonards about 5 am, the train then continued down the line, over the Harbour bridge, through the underground and up though the suburban platforms at Central and on to Enfield Yard.

Because my mate was qualified for the North Shore, once or twice a month, when a Hornsby crew was booked off, we got the Saturday night job.

We also did a couple of works trains down the Shore and one of these was hauled by a 422. I managed to get some pics from the cab of the 422, looking at a 44 coming up the other line, with the coat hanger in the background.

Again, if only I had a “Movie” camera!

robbotd5

7th December 2010, 07:52 PM

you'd sound strange too if you looked like this---
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
AHHH! The Napier Deltic. What a magical creation!!! What sort of FREAK would design something like this. I love it. The animation is great Pedro, I've seen animations of the Walschaerts valve gear in motion on a steam locomotive and it shows you exactly how it works as this does for the Deltic. I find this engine facinating.
Regards Robbo.

3-Gees

7th December 2010, 08:45 PM

HI all,for more on Deltic's,go to" Deltic 55022" ,the site for a privately owned loco:eek:,being a two-stroke ,they sound a bit simillar to something else........:angel:,also like a "commer knocker",an old pommy truck that was same principal but flat like a boxer engine with two crankshafts!!!:oCheers Gregg.

drivesafe

8th December 2010, 11:01 PM

Here’s some 48s and a few other ALCOs.

This is the perfect 4x4 picture. A Perway grader got bogged in the sand beside the tracks, so when we came along, we “SNATCHED” it out, using the two 48s.

This is just east of Warialda Rail, on the Inverell branch. Circa 1976

http://www.traxide.com.au/railpics/48-+-tractor.jpg

These two 48s are in the yard at Narrabri West.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1365.jpg

These three had just bought in a train from central to ACDEPT, Eveleigh, to be washed.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1366.jpg

These three 80 class are waiting the arrival of a coal train from Gunnedah. They will assist the train up to Ardglen by pushing at the rear.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1367.jpg

This last one is a set of 48s on an empty wheat train in the crossing loop at Gurley near Moree, to allow the North West Mail, headed by the 44, to run through on the main. Circa 1977.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1368.jpg

3-Gees

9th December 2010, 09:56 AM

Classic photos sir!,really wish I had a time machine:D,Ive also been told stories of locos towing out stuck vehicles from older guys Iwork with,OH&S would frown on it today!!!:eek:,I think you saw the best years as far as good times go!
Gregg:)

drivesafe

9th December 2010, 02:52 PM

I think you saw the best years as far as good times go!

And good times they were.

Talk about a city slicker let loose in the boonies. On my first trip to Inverell, we were working an all night mixed goods from Moree.

Just after dawn, as we were dropping down the grade before Inverell, the driver seemed to be going a bit slow.

Next thing, the tail goes ( the guard opened the emergence brake valve ) and the train came to a stop.

The driver didn’t seem too worried, but after a few minutes I asked the driver what was going on.

He told me to check my mirror.

There on the side of the cutting was the guard, picking mushrooms.

We had a great breakfast once we got to Inverell.

On other occasions, we use to take 22s with us and did a bit of rabbit shooting.

OH, how times have changed.

Bigbjorn

9th December 2010, 07:36 PM

And good times they were.

Talk about a city slicker let loose in the boonies. On my first trip to Inverell, we were working an all night mixed goods from Moree.

Just after dawn, as we were dropping down the grade before Inverell, the driver seemed to be going a bit slow.

Next thing, the tail goes ( the guard opened the emergence brake valve ) and the train came to a stop.

The driver didn’t seem too worried, but after a few minutes I asked the driver what was going on.

He told me to check my mirror.

There on the side of the cutting was the guard, picking mushrooms.

We had a great breakfast once we got to Inverell.

On other occasions, we use to take 22s with us and did a bit of rabbit shooting.

OH, how times have changed.

My late neighbour(dec'd 1996) was 46 years in QR. Engine cleaner, fireman, driver, steam to heavy electrics and tilt train. As a young firie he was stationed at Blackall and spoke of the weekly (later fortnightly) service to Yaraka and return. The train was one loco and enough coal and water to do the return trip, no facilities at Yaraka, just a shed and a sign. Actually, not much else at Yaraka. A passenger carriage, a guards van, a camp wagon, tucker boxes, whatever goods wagons were necessary and any stock wagons that had been ordered by Yaraka or in between customers. He said they used to stop on the Barcoo bridges and fish off the train and offer hand lines to any passengers who wanted to have a go. They would also shoot ducks (or protected plains turkeys!) or the occasional "wild" sheep, and light a gidyea fire to grill a feed of duck and yellowbelly. He reckoned the passengers expected these activities and would likely complain if cut short.

3-Gees

10th December 2010, 09:28 AM

What great yarns!,someone should write a book(they probably have) with all these stories from rail-workers back in the days before the fun police took over:(,but back then times and expectations were a bit different and safety was somethig you did intuitivly!.Heres hoping in ten years or so I can have a few good yarns to spin myself:D

PAT303

10th December 2010, 09:44 AM

We must have been almost neighbours back then. I lived at 3 York Rd in Bellambi during those years - and went to the convent school opposite the Rex Hotel in Thirroul (spelling ?). My father worked at Coal Cliff. Trains used to run along the back fence.

Before that, we lived in the big old white two storey mansion at Stanwell Park. The trains ran along the back fence of that place too.

Have only ever been back there once since for a look - and got well and truly lost. :D

Brian,it is a small world.I lived at Helensburgh for years and used to go to Standwell Park and watch the para gliders take off from the bluff.My misses lived at Balgownie when we met. Pat

Disco44

10th December 2010, 10:46 AM

My late neighbour(dec'd 1996) was 46 years in QR. Engine cleaner, fireman, driver, steam to heavy electrics and tilt train. As a young firie he was stationed at Blackall and spoke of the weekly (later fortnightly) service to Yaraka and return. The train was one loco and enough coal and water to do the return trip, no facilities at Yaraka, just a shed and a sign. Actually, not much else at Yaraka. A passenger carriage, a guards van, a camp wagon, tucker boxes, whatever goods wagons were necessary and any stock wagons that had been ordered by Yaraka or in between customers. He said they used to stop on the Barcoo bridges and fish off the train and offer hand lines to any passengers who wanted to have a go. They would also shoot ducks (or protected plains turkeys!) or the occasional "wild" sheep, and light a gidyea fire to grill a feed of duck and yellowbelly. He reckoned the passengers expected these activities and would likely complain if cut short.
That line to Yaraka was laid straight on the ground no ballast.I have a video of a sheep train going over it and the line was so buckled that crawling speed was necessary.Also the line from Jericho/Blackall had a gradient to climb.Normally no worries but with a bit of extra freight and a more then normal passenger load it sometimes did not make it.So out we all got and the driver would back up and have a few goes at it.We the passengers would wait at the top then climb aboard for the rest of the trip to Blackall.Many a time if we were on the road near the line the trains would stop and share a billy of tea with us.Timetables meant nothing in those days. Sadly now a bygone era.

drivesafe

10th December 2010, 01:21 PM

Well it’s already rolling so why not keep the stories coming, and I’ll start.

I the old days, if you hit any live stock you had to fill in a “Stock Killed Report” ( don’t know if they still do ) and on one trip while I was working the mail train up to Armidale with one of the senior drivers.

At one spot we had a near miss when a cow took it’s time getting off the right-of-way.

This started us talking about “Stock Killed Reports” and the driver told me about an older since retired driver who liked to dress up his reports.

One occasion after hitting a cow, his report read “I noticed a cow running through a paddock, being pursued by a bull. As the locomotive approached the cow, the cow suddenly changed directions and ran under the locomotive. It is my opinion that rather then be molested by the bull, the cow chose the sacrifice itself.”

On another report, he simply put “I first saw the cow coming our of the grass, I then saw the grass coming out of the cow”

When I first arrived in Moree, just a couple of months before, they had had some massive floods go through the area. Prier to the floods, the line running west from Moree use to go to Mungindi. After the floods, the line was and is still truncated at Weemelah.

With the line shortened, the Rail Motor service was terminated, but on one of the last runs, on a line that has an average grade of 1:4000 and is not only dead flat but pretty straight, so there is plenty of long range clear viewing.

This was a day time only trip and a driver at Moree had to answer how, with such clear vision, he managed to run over 36 sheep in one go and not know.

While I have no idea what his official reply was, when one of the other drivers asked him how in hell he could miss seeing that many sheep, the driver replied “ How many sheep can you see through the Sun Herald”

PAT303

10th December 2010, 03:25 PM

A long time ago I had the local copper come to my door as he needed help,a steer had been hit by a train at Hedden Greta near Maintland and he wanted me to shoot it as he couldn't get close enough.After my only ever ride in a cop car I found it standing at the far end of a cutting and put it down with one Mk7 through the shoulders at almost 200mtrs.Much later on the same copper got me to destroy about a dozen head from an overturned truck on the highway. Pat

clubagreenie

12th December 2010, 06:37 PM

Just been looking at some pics of 42's and wondering why when run in pairs they are run back to back.Not both running forwards.

drivesafe

12th December 2010, 07:48 PM

Hi clubagreenie, ( I love that name ), during their normal operating life, both 42 class and 43 class were not allowed to run 2 end leading as the second unit.

They could be run with 2 end leading when in the 3rd position in a triple header set up.

The reason they could not be run 2 end leading in a double header set up is because both classes only had shunting controls in the number 2 end cab and had no rear vision mirrors and the two windows, one at the rear and one at the side, could not be opened.

So if the lead unit failed, the 42 ( or 43 ) if running 2 end leading, could not be used to haul the train.

I only ever saw one set of 43 class locos running back to back and that was on the Newcastle Flier between Gosford and Newcastle.

A little trivia, if you line up a 42, a 421 and a 422 and have a look at the back of the three locos, you can see how the 422 ( both ends ) evolved from the 42, to the 421 and then the final shape on the 422.

clubagreenie

13th December 2010, 10:55 AM

That clears that up.

Still think they're the best looking of their era. Just something retro about them, they could be running today and look good.

One of the saddest pics I've found of them, they're not hauling into the yard. They're staying.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1124.jpg

Scouse

13th December 2010, 11:14 AM

Still think they're the best looking of their era. Just something retro about them, they could be running today and look good.

They still are in use. I've seen a couple run by Independent Rail working on the local SW Sydney tracks from time to time.

Independent Rail of Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:MZ_Locomotive_Blayney_NSW.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/MZ_Locomotive_Blayney_NSW.jpg/300px-MZ_Locomotive_Blayney_NSW.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/c/c9/MZ_Locomotive_Blayney_NSW.jpg/300px-MZ_Locomotive_Blayney_NSW.jpg

Great looking loco :).

**Disregard the picture above - the 44 class is mentioned in the link itself.

clubagreenie

13th December 2010, 06:09 PM

Was going to say... looks like a judge dread version of a 42 there.

3-Gees

13th December 2010, 08:30 PM

drivesafe

17th December 2010, 07:22 AM

Now what was this argument about standard and narrow gauge.

Here’s one train that tried both.

The XPT derailed at South Brisbane the other day when it tried to go down the narrow gauge.

Lucky it didn’t go much further with the platform just in front of it.

Standard gauge passenger trains are “normally” routed around the platform at South Brisbane on a dedicated loop line because the standard gauge trains won’t clear the platform.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1003.jpg

Bigbjorn

17th December 2010, 01:09 PM

Hi Guys,they are MZ class,old Euro locos,20 cyl emd 2strokes,had a short ride in one at Ardglen a few weeks ago:D,you should see where the toilet is:eek:and the cab is tiny and really old design!!...But they sound fantastic:D

Interesting engines, EMD's. Fabricated from steel plate and pressings. Electro-Motive Division of General Motors Corporation was created from the 1930 purchase of the Winton Engine Company and the Electro-Motive Engineering Company both of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1937 Winton's name was changed to Cleveland Diesel Engine Division. In the same year the Detroit Diesel Engine division was set up to produce smaller diesel engines for marine and industrial use. The interests of Cleveland and Electro-Motive were merged about 1962 to form EMD. GM sold the division in 2005 and ownership eventually ended up with a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc.

They are two-stroke engines operating very like the smaller Detroit Diesels. Some have Roots blowers for scavenging, and some have a turbo-charger which operates as a centrifugal supercharger via a gear train on start-up and which gear train is shifted out of operation when the system is producing enough breeze via exhaust drive. Big V20's pulling hard do sound nice.

EMD also make, since 1998, a four stroke V16 of 6300 hp.

3-Gees

17th December 2010, 07:14 PM

[
is producing enough breeze via exhaust drive. Big V20's pulling hard do sound nice.[/QUOTE]
They sure do Brian,but they are very ,heavy on fuel as you would expect:D
As for the XPT derailment,that is not my section but I know the cause from our incident reports, and no mechanical failure was to blame but thats all I can say:angel:,also not driver error and not due to dual guage turnout,cheers Gregg:)

Pedro_The_Swift

17th December 2010, 09:06 PM

Did Ron forget to throw a switch???:eek:

Bushie

17th December 2010, 09:32 PM

Not how you really want to see them.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/960.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/961.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/962.jpg

Photos I believe are somewhere in west NSW during 2007.
came to me as an email 'chain'

Martyn

PAT303

17th December 2010, 09:47 PM

I didn't realise Toyota made Loco's,they must be the Prious model. Pat

isuzutoo-eh

17th December 2010, 09:49 PM

More likely it was a broken down Toyota that was on the crossing that the loco's hit

Looks nasty, hope nobody was hurt

3-Gees

18th December 2010, 12:09 AM

Not nice at all:(,grade crossings are a major headache for rail operators and one of our main causes of faults due to impatient motorists breaking boomgates ,then abusing us while trying to fix them!!:eek:.Thats not tne first time I've seen burning locos on a wooden bridge!
cheers Gregg:)

scanfor

18th December 2010, 01:08 AM

I think those burnt out locos were at Red Bend (Stockingbingal-Parkes) just East of Forbes.

Gregg are you a sig-elec too?

3-Gees

18th December 2010, 02:47 PM

Hi Scanfor,yes I'm one of the brotherhood:angel:,at the depot in the "wye";),send me a pm if you like,it just shows you not to talk crap on here!!,you never know who's watching:D.
Hey Pedro,you might be right on adding a rail forum??,"Plum Loco" sounds good:p.cheers Gregg.

scanfor

21st December 2010, 11:49 AM

drivesafe

21st December 2010, 04:33 PM

Hi scanfor and if you think 81s sound great, you need to hear a 42 in 8 notch. It’s music to your ( railway enthusiast ) ears.

I have a number of recordings I did back in the seventies. There are stereo so does anyone know of a ”simple” way to post them up as stereo sound files.

I actually enjoyed recording sound more then pictures or film for the very reason you posted scanfor.

I find it very frustrating trying to record new locos with digital video cameras because there are no decent microphones available for video cameras without spending a fortune on the camera and the a microphone.

I also find a single mono track can be made into a far better stereo track than can be gained when using two or three mics with a stereo recording.

Disco44

21st December 2010, 04:52 PM

drivesafe

21st December 2010, 05:25 PM

Drivesafe...You should come out to my place at Redbank,I am 30 metres off the main line and everything from coal,freight,The westlander,suburban electrics,cattle and of course the steamers from the Ipswich Museum go rattling by.I've been here so long I don't hear them.
John.

I’m jealous.

Might take you up on that some time if I get a chance to chase trains again.

Lotz-A-Landies

21st December 2010, 05:52 PM

you'd sound strange too if you looked like this---
http://www.gkweb.net/images/machines/trains/deltic/images/napier_deltic_animation_large.gifShouldn't the bottom crankshaft be in the same rotation as the top two? :confused:

scanfor

22nd December 2010, 09:54 AM

JohnF

22nd December 2010, 11:52 AM

I've just returned from a trip to the Hunter Valley where I was working on a mine right beside the main-line.
It was busy all night, and I was treated to a real mix of motive power on show.
What struck me was just how quiet (relatively) the newer locos are, when compared to those of 25 years ago.
The last time I was around these thing, the 81 class was only about 9 years old, and I thought that they were quiet, but when a pair of them came around the bend at full chant I realised how much things have improved in 25 years.
The 90 and 82 class jsut seem to whirr along.
I also drove past the plant in Newcastle where the new TT class etc. (including the Xstrata locos) were out on show in the yard.
Railways are alive and well in this country.

My son has had TT locomotives for well over a decade, some steam, mostly german locos, but they are only a couple of inches long-- TT gauge, halfway between N and OO gauges. My dad purchased a Hornby 3 rail OO train set for my first Birthday, and played with model trains for the rest of his his whole life.
Guess that is not the TT you referred to.

scanfor

22nd December 2010, 01:29 PM

Not quite - these are the heavy-haul locos built by EDI for Hunter coal haulage.

Downer EDI Rail GT46C ACe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downer_EDI_Rail_GT46C_ACe#TT_class)

TT scale/gauge models (Table Top) have been around for a while - I think Hornby had them in the 50's, but they have never been as popular as HO or N scale. Some QR modellers used TT mechanisms under HO bodies to simulate the narrow-gauge 3'6" QLD trains.

3-Gees

22nd December 2010, 08:10 PM

Hi all,you were at the Hunter when I went through Scanfor!,and yes the new locos are pretty boring sound wise,hence the attraction of Alcos and older EMD's:D.Drivesafe,I spent $200.00 on a extra "shotgun" mike for my video camera,it makes a huge difference!!I've just put one clip on you-tube to test it out,just a quickie I did in Brissy(most of my footage is standard guage),it sounds good on my theatre system with the sub turned up;)
YouTube - FishplateFilms's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/FishplateFilms?feature=mhum)
will be posting more over xmas!
Cheers Gregg:)

drivesafe

22nd December 2010, 08:46 PM

Hi Gregg, and the video is great BUT, the sound is too high pitched.

This is the problem I have been having.

Just increasing your bass on your sound system doesn't cut it.

Have a look at the specs for your microphone, they will be something like (at best ) 80hz to 18,000Hz and don’t be surprised if they start at 150Hz.

The problem is for proper deep bass recording, the microphone needs to start at 20Hz and so far I haven’t found a microphone for a video camera that picks up that low a sound frequency.

Still love the videos though.

BTW I had two Sennheiser MKE 300 shotgun microphone at $300 a pop, so I could try to improve my stereo recording but they only ever got about 10 minutes use as they made little improvement to the low end sound. The top end sound was fantastic, but not what I wanted.

The Sennheiser MKE 300 shotgun microphone has a frequency response of 150 ~ 17,000Hz.

If anybody has any suggestions, I’m all ears ( sorry about the pun ).

scanfor

22nd December 2010, 09:21 PM

Gregg - it is indeed a small world.
We could have met up for a few Christmas ales if I'd known you were in town!

Disco44

23rd December 2010, 12:29 AM

Hey Drivesafe, you're right about the 42s. I can remember the 421s on the South in their last days before storage at Junee.
For my money though, you can't beat a "Pom" - QR had plenty of them. The English Electric engines and big turbos combined mad music to the ears of a railway buff.

There's a Pom and a square nosed early one near the Diesel Maintenance shop not far from me.The square nosed one has been repainted but the Pom's in a hell of a state.I think it's up for restoration too.I'll take photos of them both and post them up tomorrow.

Disco44

23rd December 2010, 03:49 PM

Bad luck the Poms gone,hopefully to get restored,I'll try and find out.The Clyde( I think that is what it is) is still there plus 2392 which must be used for shunting.I have also taken one of QR's graveyard.From a distance I'm afraid,as the whole place is fenced and security is like Fort Knox.
I liked the video's from Morningside,they are the same coal trains that go to the back of my home and the coal comes from outside of Ipswich and from up on the Darling downs.Sometimes as many as ten go past a day.They are restricted in size to the passing loops on the Toowoomba Range, they are 48 wagons in length
John

scanfor

23rd December 2010, 08:04 PM

Thanks for the photos Disco44.
The blue and white one is a Pom - 1620 Class I think.

I know what you mean about the security - back in the mid-eighties we wandered around in there for hours taking photos. All we did was ask the Chief Mechanical Engineer if it was OK and they let us loose in the place.

3-Gees

24th December 2010, 01:47 PM

Talking about security ,when I was 16,a mate and i went to Mayne yard in Brisbane,about 1981,and just signed a form and spent the whole day there,even drove two locos:D,both of which are still in service today!!(after two rebuilds!).Now that I work for QR,I can only get into Mayne with permission:angel:
Drivesafe,can't find specs on my mike,but i'm happy with the bass through the sub ,also on my desktop speakers with they're little sub,the bottom end is not bad.As you say,without a sub,or on a tv,the bass is not flash but I do like the clarity of the top end,but the flange squeals get a bit much at times!
Cheers Gregg:)

drivesafe

24th December 2010, 06:39 PM

Hi Gregg, I get about the same results your getting but what till you hear a good low frequency recording and then you will know the difference.

As posted earlier in this thread, there is a great set of recordings done in 1969 on that CD I was talking about, “Mr Ds Machine” if you get the chance, have a listen to that and you will notice the difference.

When you get a good recording of an older GM or the likes, the sound will literally shake your bones.

3-Gees

24th December 2010, 08:52 PM

Hi Drivesafe,I'll try and find it over the w-end,it's hard to get good quality old recordings so it sounds interesting:eek:.
Scanfor,that would've been a plan,but I stayed at Lake Lilldel??,near the power stations and main line,got some good footage there but the fumes at night were a bit much:(,anyway merry chrissy to you all for tomorrow and have a good w-end:),Gregg:twobeers:

drivesafe

24th December 2010, 10:06 PM

Hi again Gregg.

If you get to here the CD, don’t be too surprised if a number of the tracks sound a bit familiar, just about every Yank move with the sound of a train in the distance got there sound track from this recording.

You will know what I mean when you hear it.

Bigbjorn

25th December 2010, 11:03 AM

My daughter and son-in-law are both Film and TV production professionals. Daughter is a sound specialist. I had them read your posts about sound recording above. They say those microphones are suitable for "domestic work and home movies". $300 is a dirt cheap bit of kit compared to professional equipment and your video cameras don't have enough electrical oomph to power professional microphones that require 48 volt battery banks. Daughter suggests you have a look at an outside broadcast operation if you have a chance and you will see what they use. you are probably doing the best you can without spending thousands and carrying around a truckload.

drivesafe

25th December 2010, 11:46 AM

Hi Brian and thanks heaps mate.

I actually use to carry loads of gear with me but this is not convenient when most train recordings have to be done on the run.

When I have taken the time to set up, I use to use a microphone mixer and ran leads for three microphones, these were 40-17,000Hz.

The sound difference from these was incredible but as you have posted, there just isn’t anything available for basic video recording.

As posted earlier, I would rather spend time making a good sound recording over a video any day.

I found a sound recording I did in 1972, on Picton Bank, of a 42 class with a long string of 4 wheel trucks, working it’s way up the bank just after the horse shoe south of Picton.

I’ve got to remember how to transfer a sound track from a cassette to the Mac. I haven’t done it for a while, but as soon as I get it right, I’ll post it up.

groucho

25th December 2010, 07:55 PM

Shunting the Temora silo last week

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/528.jpg

groucho

25th December 2010, 08:00 PM

Stabled at Cootamundra the week before

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/527.jpg

drivesafe

27th December 2010, 06:39 PM

Here is the end result of the XPT trying to use the narrow gauge at South Brisbane.

This is a bogie exchange underway.

http://www.traxide.com.au/railpics/XPT flyingb.JPG

http://www.traxide.com.au/railpics/XPT flyinga.JPG

groucho

28th December 2010, 10:56 AM

Stored 830 class at Cootamundra
For sale if not already sold

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/402.jpg

scanfor

29th December 2010, 01:13 PM

Hey Drivesafe, where were those photos of the flying XPT taken - doesn't look much like South Brisbane.

drivesafe

29th December 2010, 03:01 PM

Hi scanfor, these are not my photos and I wish I had the photographer’s name so I could then give them the credit due.

As to the location, going on the bridge in the background, I'd say it was the northern end of Acacia Ridge Yard, in the dual gauge area, near where they normally do the bogie changes.

clubagreenie

29th December 2010, 05:30 PM

So is the bogie change a temp thing while it's traveling in Qld? Seems like a lot of work but then I think a 4 year resto isn't hard work.

drivesafe

29th December 2010, 06:11 PM

Hi clubagreenie, I guess that they were fitting a set of the normal running gear so the unit can get back into service.

A bogie change after a derail like that is a normal safety procedure.

clubagreenie

29th December 2010, 06:21 PM

Ah, I thought it was a " those morons down south sent us an over sized train again" situation.

drivesafe

30th December 2010, 01:35 PM

Hi 3-Gees, here is a picture taken today ( so I am told ) of a 4 header 48 coal train on the Pelton line.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/99.jpg

Pedro_The_Swift

30th December 2010, 05:54 PM

Why doesn't this pic have audio?:p:D

would've sounded great!

justinc

30th December 2010, 06:03 PM

Fantastic thanks 3G's!

The sound of these hauling ore was a thing I'll not forget. the slow revs and whistling from the turbine through the exhaust was formidable, you could FEEL the torque on tap..:cool:

My brother once sent me photos of a Destroyer engine piston crown, he delivered it to the deck of the ship for an at sea rebuild with a Navy Sea king Helo on a pallet, THAT was one big slab of metal:o

JC

drivesafe

31st December 2010, 03:07 PM

Someone is not going to have a very happy New Year start.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/22.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/23.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/24.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/25.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/26.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/27.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/28.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/29.jpg

3-Gees

31st December 2010, 03:31 PM

Hi Drivesafe,they kept that one quiet:),probably buckled rail?allways happens at the start of summer,I'm just waiting for my first one!I have some of the Pelton Alcos on tape from a trip to Maitland a couple of years ago,they do sound great but the highway there is too noisy and it spoils the sound,so I'm going back in the new year to chase them from the mine!;).As for my trip just done,Iwas edditing footage to put on you-tube and my poor old Dell" desktop(second hand when I got it 7 years ago!!) finally said ,thats it,Ive had enough!!So it's now time to buy the I-mac I've been promising myself for a couple of years ,the shop I went to is a Apple Dealer and also sells Sony Hi -end and Broadcast cameras:eek:,this could get expensive!!..and guess what the owner drives???? a "09 disco,v8:D,I now want mates rates;)
Cheers Gregg:)

drivesafe

31st December 2010, 03:42 PM

Hi Gregg, I had to post these up, I mean, well is this not “MIXING” two hobbies together, trains and 4x4s, lots of 4x4s!:angel:

3-Gees

31st December 2010, 03:59 PM

LOL:D,your not wrong mate!!,I have missed the news a bit over the last week but i'm sure someone Iknow would've seen it and let me know!Where did you get the pics from,or cant I ask:angel:,if it wasn't track or equipment failure,then someone has a big "Please explain",mind you these things do happen:eek:

Tote

31st December 2010, 07:28 PM

I'm assuming it's this one.... Rail services to the east should resume tomorrow - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/12/31/3104261.htm)

Regards,
Tote

Disco44

31st December 2010, 07:45 PM

Bloody hell what a mess and yes 3 Gees they kept that one "TOP" secret.I wonder why.

In another thread on here someone mentioned Union Pacific's " Big Boys" steamer .I seached and found this which I have attached. Man that's one big mother.
John.

drivesafe

31st December 2010, 08:40 PM

Bigbjorn

31st December 2010, 10:11 PM

Hi John, go to YouTube and search for video on both the Big Boy ( none running at present ) and the Challenger one of which is in irregular use.

These two locomotives are incredible to watch.

BTW John, if you like the Big Boy, search for video of Southern Pacific’s Cab Forwards, nearly as big as the Big Boy but as the name implies, the cab is at the front of the locomotive.

YouTube - Amazing American Cab Forward Steam Loco (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_ErZ5SgkVw)

I am planning to go to the Miller-Offenhauser Society historic race meeting in Milwaukee next July. I intend to take the Amtrak train over the Donner Pass from Emeryville (between Berkeley and Oakland) to Reno. Pity the train won't be hauled by a big steamer.

drivesafe

31st December 2010, 10:24 PM

I am planning to go to the Miller-Offenhauser Society historic race meeting in Milwaukee next July. I intend to take the Amtrak train over the Donner Pass from Emeryville (between Berkeley and Oakland) to Reno. Pity the train won't be hauled by a big steamer.

I’m jealous

Tote

31st December 2010, 10:43 PM

4294 Taken at the Sacramento railway museum in 2005

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/HPIM0843.jpg

Regards,
Tote

Bigbjorn

31st December 2010, 10:52 PM

I’m jealous

Exchange rate is good, air fares are cheap, so is the train. Stay at Harrah's mid week for $68 a night and see their car museum then rent a car and head off to Milwaukee via Bill Smith's museum in Lincoln, and Sprint Car Hall of Fame near Des Moines. I will be visiting Bob Bendsten in Minneapolis for a day or two. Good beer in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I am going to stay a couple of days with Ken Walton near Kansas City. Ken is a noted Offy collector, restorer, historian and author. He currently is working on two late turbo Offys, a 27 degree and a 19 degree D-G-S whch has never run, crankcase not yet finish machined. The D-G-S is supposed to go into a street rod naturally aspirated. Ken has a business called Roadster Works that custom builds exotic street rods.

Disco44

1st January 2011, 12:06 AM

3-Gees

1st January 2011, 11:26 AM

Not fair ,prickly pear:D,maybe I should ditch the I-mac idea for a plane ticket??:eek:.....Union Pacific made a movie about the BigBoys at the end of the steam era ,dealing with the reluctance of older Engineers to move to dieselisation,it's a bit corny today but was a popular movie then,obviously a huge change in railroading culture!
Even in HO scale (1-87th) a Bigboy,Challenger or Cabforward look big!,and cost well over a grand for a good one:eek:
cheers gregg:)

Bigbjorn

1st January 2011, 11:33 AM

I didn't know about that museum in Sacramento. Maybe I should start my train trip from Sacramento, not Emeryville, and have a day at the Museum.

drivesafe

1st January 2011, 01:04 PM

Even in HO scale (1-87th) a Bigboy,Challenger or Cabforward look big!,and cost well over a grand for a good one:eek:
cheers gregg:)

Hi Gregg, I have the a Riverossi Bog Boy, Challenger and Cab Forward.

The oldest of the three, the Big Boy cost me $98 in 1970.

Have no idea what they would be worth today but my next acquisition, when I can afford it is a G scale Big Boy around the $1500 mark, and not bad for a model of that size.

I believe there are at least two Big Boys being rebuilt and should be in steam service sometime over the next two years.

Tote

1st January 2011, 06:45 PM

Tote

1st January 2011, 07:12 PM

Also, Knight Foundry Knight Foundry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:2009-0724-CA-KnightFoundry.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/2009-0724-CA-KnightFoundry.jpg/250px-2009-0724-CA-KnightFoundry.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/a/a3/2009-0724-CA-KnightFoundry.jpg/250px-2009-0724-CA-KnightFoundry.jpg is the last water driven machine shop in the US, another reason to go for that drive up Highway 49.

Regards,
Tote

Windaroo

2nd January 2011, 07:15 AM

There is also the Orange Empire railway museum east of LA near Riverside/ March Airforce base and their Aviation museum Orange Empire Railway Museum (http://www.oerm.org/)

greg smith

2nd January 2011, 07:39 AM

Worked on these in NSWGR--then---PTC, branch-line workhorses, look good? maybe used to freeze your but off mid-winter[Goulburn area] little bar style heater at your feet that maybe worked drafty and if staff changes required??? Looking back sometimes you gloss over the real issues and romanticise just a little:confused::confused:

Bigbjorn

2nd January 2011, 08:17 AM

Here's the link to the Sacramento museum, California State Railroad Museum (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=668)

There's also another museum at Jamestown further south Railtown 1897 State Historic Park - Welcome (http://www.railtown1897.org/railtown/default.asp) ,though I've not been there, just driven past.

In the same area the Kennedy Mine is well worth a look Kennedy Gold Mine - Historic Gold Mine Surface Tours - Home Page (http://www.kennedygoldmine.com/)

Also further North the Empire mine Empire Mine State Historic Park (http://www.empiremine.org/visitor.html) is also very interesting, the owners bought all the buckled tramlines from the San Francisco earthquake and used them as pit props, something I had heard was a big no no in oz due to the tendancy of steel to fracture unexpectedly whereas wood will splinter and give warning of a collapse.

Bodie is also well worth a drive to have a look but It is a pretty solid day's drive from Sacramento over the eastern side of the sierras as it is at 8000 ft
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/Bodie/IMG_0465.jpg

Bodie, California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodie,_California)

If you have a couple of days to kill in th SF/Sacramento area a trip along Highway 49 from Jamestown to Nevada City is most recommended. It is one of the most useful things I have done with a Company Rental Car:D

Regards,
Tote

I want to go over the Sierra Nevada by train on the historic rail line. I will pick up a rental car in Reno and head east mostly on I 80 over the Great Salt Lake then a detour to the Little Big Horn and Badlands National Park before stopping with friends in Omaha and using Omaha for a base for a week before moving on to Milwaukee for the Miller-Offy event. I will be visiting a few of my suppliers along the way between Omaha and NYC. I also need to spend a day before departure with Stewart van Dyne in Los Angeles to negotiate some Offy parts if I haven't had success with a few others in the Midwest and North-east.

hodgo

3rd January 2011, 08:52 AM

Thanks to all that have contributed posts of all the wonderful posts on trains what a great read. I am not and never have been into trains but I find anything mechanical interesting and I must admit that the sounds of some rail engines do attract my attention.
I do have an old army mate in Warwick hear in Qld that makes and sells Australian model trains all over the world I will find his webb page and post it some my be interested.
In the mean time keep the posts coming
thanks to all again

ARKITS HOME PAGE http://www.arkits.com/
Hodgo

isuzutoo-eh

3rd January 2011, 09:13 AM

Aah a mate of Al Cutmore ;)

hodgo

3rd January 2011, 09:18 AM

Aah a mate of Al Cutmore ;)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++

Yes he was our neighbour for 4 years when I was posted to Canungra back in the 70s how do you know him?

isuzutoo-eh

3rd January 2011, 09:31 AM

I work for a hobby shop in Sydney that sometimes sells his stuff and always have a chat at exhibitions, he wouldn't know me by name though.

dullbird

3rd January 2011, 10:55 AM

I thought I would mention to what appears to be a large audience of train worshipers here that the thirlmere train heritage museum rebuild is almost complete.

http://www.railheritagecentre.com.au/Rail_Heritage_Update-2010_Summer.pdf

Sorry to butt in but thought it might interest people.

drivesafe

3rd January 2011, 11:08 AM

87County

5th January 2011, 08:11 AM

With some posts earlier mentioning banking & Ardglen, I thought you might like to see what's happening now..

this is one of the new TT rakes with a Newcastle crew being banked past Kankool (you can just see some of the wagons snaking along behind over Chilcotts Ck in the distance:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1364.jpg

a pic the TT locos coming up through Ardglen:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1365.jpg

This is the banking setup - 12000hp pulling (TTs), 9000hp (81s) pushing 7200t gross up a 1:40 at 20km/hr -

the sound of the 2st supercharged & turbocharged engines is magnificent for an interested person - but you'll just have to imagine it for now

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1366.jpg

by this time the lead locos are well through the tunnel and on the downhill side

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1367.jpg

drivesafe

5th January 2011, 10:21 AM

Great pics and Brother is that GREEN.

I will have to post up some video I took just a few years back and everything is brown and dead.

scanfor

5th January 2011, 10:36 AM

drivesafe

5th January 2011, 11:14 AM

Hi scanfor, the driver at the back gets his running orders via radio from the front crew and it’s virtually “They have the road” so the back crew goes slowly to full throttle, where it remains till they get to the top of the crossing loop at Ardglen, just before the tunnel.

The bank engines, ( rear locos ) don’t actually couple up, they just push and at the top, they shut off the throttle and come to a stand, while the train continues on it’s way.

Real neat to watch!

87County

5th January 2011, 11:16 AM

There's something that I've always wonderd about those bank-engines - do they use Locotrol from the front lashup, or is the driver in the rear just really good at judging how much throttle he can apply without bunching the train up?

The rear loco set is worked independently and it is not connected to the rake, it pushes on the coupling without the pin being dropped so that when the rake accelerates it just pulls away. 3 - 4 notch gets it rolling.

re power judgement ..... one of the drivers' skills I guess, but soon after departing Willow Tree they are up to full power and speed then will gradually drop to 20km/hr on the 1:40. That full power setting is maintained until the major part of the rake is over the hill..... That's why it sounds so good :)

The load is designed for the locos to be at full power, the power isn't adjusted to suit the load

3-Gees

5th January 2011, 03:52 PM

They were using 92's on the head end when I was there a month ago,would have liked to have seen that lash up!I'm still trying to uploadmy footage to you-tube on my old desk top,Ardglen is good for video and as you say ,they are n
otch 8 all the way:).Drivesafe,I've seen a Bigboy in G-scale,pretty impressive but you'd need some space and broad curves to do it justice!!,are you still running HO or G only at the moment?
I also have footage of the helpers detatching at Ardglen ,you have to be lucky to be in the right spot as it happens pretty quickly,every now and then ,the coupler pin drops and they get towed all the way to Murrundi!!Cheers Gregg.

mightgeta4be

5th January 2011, 05:37 PM

Johnny's Pages - Old SAR Shunter (http://www.johnnyspages.com/classic_pictures_menu_files/classic_present_day_pics_files/~angaston_stonie.htm#3_830s)

just for some interest, the above link is a mining train running from Penrice quarry in the Barossa Valley to Port Adelaide. Runs every day of the year, some great photos. Not being an expert on trains, not sure if they are the same loco you show in this thread but look similar. the noise under load is increadible. Go to the home page of this web site to some incredible pictures of old locomotives, history and info about S.A. railroads. I stumbled across this site by accident trying to find info about the penrice train. brilliant!

drivesafe

5th January 2011, 06:07 PM

Hi mightgeta4be, the 430 class is South Australia’s version of the 48 class and originally they were narrow gauge units use on the Eyre Peninsula.

I don’t know if they had broad gauge versions but there are plenty of standard gauge versions.

I stand corrected here, but I think you will find the 704 was originally an NSWGR 80 class.

drivesafe

5th January 2011, 06:08 PM

Hi Gregg, I am actually in the process of selling off most of my HO. I am not going to have the room to run both HO and G scale and “IF” I get a Big Boy, it will more than likely only be a static display model.

I actually prefer electrics locos, electrics trains and trams and I’ve been waiting for about 18 months for the new PCC street cars from Aristocrat to be released.

isuzutoo-eh

5th January 2011, 06:15 PM

Yep, the 830 class locos are near enough identical (apart from gauge of some of them) to the 48 class. Good spotting!

groucho

5th January 2011, 07:44 PM

One of the 18 48's Graincorp inherited at Cootamundra yesterday

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1359.jpg

groucho

5th January 2011, 07:46 PM

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1358.jpg

groucho

5th January 2011, 07:49 PM

A shade off topic
ElZorro at Stockinbingal AWB silo Yesterday

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1357.jpg

Pedro_The_Swift

5th January 2011, 10:51 PM

ElZorro?

87County

6th January 2011, 05:28 AM

ElZorro?

yep, that's right - an outfit who do grain haulage throughout southeast oz with older rented/borrowed equipment -

you & I could do it Pedro - you've got a good handle for a railway company

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Zorro_(railway)

groucho

6th January 2011, 05:42 AM

elZorro and c.f.c.l.a who lease anything with steel wheels. aka rent a wreck

87County

6th January 2011, 05:47 AM

elZorro and c.f.c.l.a who lease anything with steel wheels. aka rent a wreck aka dodgy bros

Scouse

7th January 2011, 09:10 AM

These old girls are working with track maintenance between Fairfield & Glenfield (Sydney) at the moment.

I thought they were 44 class locos but these are double ended & have different side windows compared to locos that Google shows as being 44s.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=32208&d=1294355333

Scouse

7th January 2011, 09:13 AM

I've just Googled the company Southern Shorthaul Railroad & come up with this:
B Class Locomotives (http://www.southernshorthaulrailroad.com.au/b_class_locomotives1)

isuzutoo-eh

7th January 2011, 09:19 AM

B class is correct!

Here's the same two a year or so back doing the same duties on the Carlingford Branch. One of those locomotives is a model :p

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/1280.jpg

Scouse

7th January 2011, 09:44 AM

One of those locomotives is a model :p

Ahh, 1:1 scale - impressive :).

groucho

7th January 2011, 10:20 AM

They are or were owned by SSR Southern short haul Railway another private mob, Still the same deal Rent a wreck. around 1958 vintage.

isuzutoo-eh

7th January 2011, 10:22 AM

Ahh, 1:1 scale - impressive :).

Yeah...its in the (orange and silver) Auscision Models colour scheme which produce the loco in 1:87...some of Auscision Models' people work for/own SSR, I don't know the full story.
Reality following 'art'

Scouse

7th January 2011, 11:35 AM

They are or were owned by SSR Southern short haul Railway another private mob, Still the same deal Rent a wreck. around 1958 vintage.As an older car enthusiast, I think it's great to see the older trains still in operation.
At least SSR seem to take pride in their locos, most of the dodgy brothers locos are covered in graffiti.

3-Gees

7th January 2011, 12:10 PM

I've met the Auscision boys a few times at train shows,good blokes and allways up for a chat:),their models are probably the best Aussie ones I've seen(I don't model Aust.,so not an expert!),and they have allmost tempted me to build an Aussie layout......maybe????.Its good to see small private rail companys hauling freight and making a go of it;),cheers Gregg:)

isuzutoo-eh

7th January 2011, 12:44 PM

Bangladesh Photo ? Train Picture ? National Geographic Photo of the Day (http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/dhaka-bangladesh-train/)

:eek:

JBM770

7th January 2011, 06:25 PM

They are or were owned by SSR Southern short haul Railway another private mob, Still the same deal Rent a wreck. around 1958 vintage.

There are SSR locos running on the Hunter Valley line, I cant remember if it was freight or coal, only 1 of the locos was yellow and black.

Pedro_The_Swift

7th January 2011, 07:51 PM

I'm just wondering if there would be any interest in a

"Loco" Forum---
(and how about Plum Loco as its title:p:p)

I know a guy that could help--;)

For those of you concerned about any "drama" getting another forum,,
read this page;)
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/120320-non-land-rover-tech-forum.html

3-Gees

7th January 2011, 09:50 PM

Well Pedro,since I started this thread,you've got my vote!!:D,I'd love to combine my two(three if you include photography) intrests;),cheers Gregg:)

Here's another 48 clone",rusting away at Coota"

3-Gees

9th January 2011, 01:53 PM

G'day all,I've finally put a clip on youtube of some 48's from my recent trip:angel:,only a quickie and the wind is shocking ,but I've worked out how to compress the file so my old desktop can load it!Will try to put more on this week,there's a lot of o-time coming up so the I-mac may be a bit closer:D,but I also need rotors and pads!!!.....and a kitchen....:p

Cheers Gregg :)

YouTube - FishplateFilms's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/FishplateFilms?feature=mhum)

Bushie

9th January 2011, 07:11 PM

Just missed out on getting some pics today

A 48 came through Heathcote this afternoon hauling a set (4?) of old wooden carriages.

Martyn

groucho

9th January 2011, 07:51 PM

Just missed out on getting some pics today

A 48 came through Heathcote this afternoon hauling a set (4?) of old wooden carriages.

Martyn

Don't worry it was only the Cockatoo run. I will be back next week....

Tote

10th January 2011, 11:07 PM

A couple of photos I've been looking for since I noticed this thread. A wet day in Narromine February 97. Five 48s lead by 8253 about to depart the station.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y127/toteau/Trains/trainsatnarromine3.jpg

And a little further down the line as they pick up the load. All are online judging by the smoke. Looking at the original photos I can make out 8253, 48100, 48158, 48105, 48102? and I cant make out the candy one. As I recall it sounded pretty good at the time too.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

Regards,
Tote

drivesafe

16th January 2011, 10:31 PM

Here are some pictures of the Main West Line on the Toowoomba Range.

The word is that it will be closed for up to 3 months. The pictures tell why.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/738.jpg

http://www.traxide.com.au/railpics/2011_flood_Slip_onto Track.JPG

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/739.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/740.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/01/741.jpg

PAT303

17th January 2011, 12:22 AM

Tim,I've been reading up on loco's,why do they use DC motors?,some of the American ones also use AC so whats the reason for it?. Pat

drivesafe

17th January 2011, 04:40 AM

Hi Pat, AC units are also in use here.

The main reason why both DC and AC are available is because the price difference for a main line loco in the USA is the roughly $500,000 difference between the two types.

While the AC is dearer to buy, each AC unit should save around 1,000,000 GALLONS of fuel over its expected life span compered to what a DC loco will use.

scanfor

18th January 2011, 11:46 PM

OK, here is a photo of the UP Brisbane Limited (NL2) about to depart South Brisbane. There is a 48 stuck in between the 44 and 421? on the nose.
I guess that the North Coast line didn't have too many places where the train could exceed 80km/h, but surely that 48 would have just slowed everything down.

Bigbjorn

19th January 2011, 07:13 AM

Tim,I've been reading up on loco's,why do they use DC motors?,some of the American ones also use AC so whats the reason for it?. Pat

DC was used originally because of the availability of adequate speed controllers. Suitable speed controllers for AC current were a much later development. Of course, once a dc system had been constructed, the system had to be kept in operation as the alternative was to demolish and start again. Hence Queensland Rail, coming late to electrification built an ac system.

For those interested, many Queensland country towns in the days of town power stations before the state grid, had reticulated dc. Somewhere I have a 1950 directory that lists services available in most Qld. towns and map spots on the rail lines. The listing shows (rail) distance from Roma Street, population, availability of water, sewerage, gas, electricity and what type, local authority,etc. I can dig it out if anyone has a question.

drivesafe

19th January 2011, 07:39 AM

Hi Brian, while your right about ELECTRIC rail networks, Pat and I are talking about the traction motors and controls used in DIESEL electric locos.

The introduction of AC diesel electric locos is something relatively new. GE started producing them about 15 years ago and EMD ( General Motors locomotive division ) are now producing AC versions of their diesel electrics as well.

Bigbjorn

19th January 2011, 09:24 AM

3-Gees

20th January 2011, 12:51 PM

Great pics Drivesafe!,where did you get them?,no wonder the poor buggers down the hill got clobbered:(,thats a lot of water going flat out!.We were lucky in Brissy,most of our stuff just got wet and a bit muddy,a few points machines are cactus but all in all pretty good considering:eek:

AC locos also have amazing traction at low speeds and pulse the traction motors when struglling for grip,helping the wheels bite the rail;)while using little sand,it's awesome to see close up!!!the whole loco bounces as it inches forward with very little wheelspin,clever things.
A clip of some 48's at Weris ck-
YouTube - FishplateFilms's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/FishplateFilms?feature=mhum)

Cheers Gregg:)

alansanders

31st March 2011, 11:13 PM

Jumping in late, but a very good thread.
Spent my youth in the late 60's going to Central each Sat morning and asking any outbound diesel operator for a ride. Never disappointed. Usually a 40 on the North Coast Daylight, a 44 on the Riverina Express. Forget the others. Rode to Strathfield, returned and maybe got lucky again. Got a ride around the Central shunting area in a 32 once.
Used to go to Wauchope and return each summer on the Daylight. Seemed to be the home of the 40 and 43, sometimes a 44. Always got a ride up front at some point. Driver change at Taree so if you missed one then....

I recall the 40 had like gears? - did the driver have to do throttle, power back, engage something and power up? What I remember anyway.
Remember coming home with a 43 that broke down somewhere where a spare 44 was waiting to rescue us as we weren't sitting long. Then at Gosford? we got towed home by the usual 46. Quite a site getting off at Central and seeing the 3 of them. A 46 always towed that train into Central anyway, but with the 2 diesels it was cool.
I lived around Tempe.
The train to Woolongong I guess was always pulled by a 48. There is a straight run into Tempe from Sydenham where it could get a good run, then throttle back round the bend into Tempe and thru platform 4. Then hit the throttle for a nice run to Arncliffe - clouds of smoke, great sound. Always stopped to watch.
I would live to hear a 42 start. Sometimes my Sat morn would be at Central Platform 1 where the Melbourne train had usually a 42 - maybe 2?
They never seemed to use the 42 on the North.
Riding home from Canterbury High we always passed 405 South goods train. Always 2 diesels, and usually 44/45 but now and then a 42.
Always hung out in Marrickville past the station where the goods line branches off and goes to the goods yard over yonder. The trains always stopped at the points and the drivers would always let you hop on for a look. Recall a few steam - a 36? and the 32 of course. Had a look at a 422 there brand new I recall. Never rode from there.

3-Gees

4th May 2011, 06:56 PM

G'day all,
As promised at the start of this thread,I;ve finally put the videos of my trip behind the two 48's around Bethungra Spiral,and from Coota' to Junee in the cab:D,better late than never:eek:
YouTube - FishplateFilms's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/FishplateFilms?feature=mhum)

Cheers Gregg;)

3-Gees

4th May 2011, 07:12 PM

I forgot to answer your question Allan!,the traction motors on diesel electric locos have two sets of windings,one winding in series for greater torque on start,and the other in parralell for higher speed.Early locos didn'thave advanced switching between the two, so drivers would notch up the to required speed,then back off so the contactors could change without high current (hundreds of amps!!) passing through them:eek:.This soon changed to automatic transition as technology improved,similar to star -delta starting in three phase motors.Modern AC traction locos use a very advanced 3-phase motor control which gives incredible traction with reduced wheel and rail wear while using less fuel.Some good stories from your past there:D.
Cheers Gregg;)

circlework

4th May 2011, 09:26 PM

Damn. I must be getting old ...... I can only remember steamers on the daylight express. :(

I know these aren't 48's but......
A pic of CLP13 built in 1970 (not sure what CLP# the second loco is) on the maiden wheat run for Aussie Southern from Coota, leaving Goulburn station and dead in the water right in front of my home. Something to do with an earth breaker tripping. That's what happens when you name it 13! Further proof in the second pic.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=35617&stc=1&d=1304511472
around 01/2005 at Goulburn.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=35618&stc=1&d=1304511668
around 01/2006 at Sefton.

Cheers,
Daz.

3-Gees

5th May 2011, 11:47 AM

Hi Daz
Nice pics,the CLP's are a favourite amongst Railfans,big and loud,and they're still working all over the place,get them up in Brissy occasionally.I'm in the process of putting some footage together for you-tube:)
Cheers Gregg;)

clubagreenie

5th May 2011, 05:56 PM

Something to do with an earth breaker tripping.

Glad the same thing doesn't happen with a bad earth in the Disco.

drivesafe

5th May 2011, 06:39 PM

Something to do with an earth breaker tripping.

That's known as a Ground Relay trip!

circlework

5th May 2011, 07:33 PM

*snip*the CLP's are a favourite amongst Railfans,big and loud,

Certainly loud .... just can't beat the growl of a GM 2-stroke. In fact living beside the tracks, I used to get woken by a dirty old GM hauling oil cars nearly every week night and it never bothered me in the slightest .... just loved that sound! The only problem was that you couldn't set your clock by him. :D

Just re-read what you said, Gregg .... CLP13 is currently part of QRNational ... as of around 2008?

Cheers,
Daz.

clubagreenie

5th May 2011, 08:22 PM

But how does a Ground Relay Trip trigger a gravitational fault large enough to shift the loco a couple of meters left of the track?

3-Gees

6th May 2011, 06:10 PM

It obviously tripped over the ground:eek:!!!!
......sorry,couldn't help it:angel:

Plane Fixer

6th May 2011, 11:30 PM

I took these pics a few years ago when I was working in Selebe Phikwe in Botswana. We had to cross the railway line to get to the airport and often saw this loco hauling ore to the processing plant.
It was oil fired and we always got a wave as we took photos. Obviously they knew we were the ones with the strange looking aircraft ( The flying nissan hut)

Pedro_The_Swift

7th May 2011, 05:46 AM

were many steam locos converted to oil?

drivesafe

7th May 2011, 06:37 AM

Hi Pedro, in NSWGR’s case, it was the other way round.

When they bought the 59 class from the USA, nearly all of them were converted from oil burners to coal.

Pedro_The_Swift

7th May 2011, 06:48 AM

was this for purely economic reasons?
and was the class's longevity increased or decreased do you reckon?

drivesafe

7th May 2011, 07:08 AM

I would imagine it was done more for convenience than anything else.

The rest of NSWGR’s steam fleet were coal burners so it just made it simpler to have all the engines using one type of fuel.

I’m not sure how many remained oil burners but I think it was only one or two. Why these were not converted seems a bit odd but the railways may have had a reason for keeping an oil burner or two around.

I’m not sure of what the effects of using oil verses coal on a steam locomotive are but I have an uncle in the USA who was a manager of an oil burning electric power station and he reckoned oil burner boilers needed more maintenance than a coal fired boiler.

blackbuttdisco

7th May 2011, 07:22 AM

I have been inside oil fired furnaces and coal fired. The oil fired ones were heavily clagged up around the boiler tubes. Coal fired one are usually relativley clean and only get claggged up around the top and cooler parts of the furnace. Also depends on the standard of coal being burnt. Most power stations only use the overburden that is above the good stuff, which goes overseas. I have used oil that has a high heat value and the furnace clagged up the same as the lower heat value grade oil. NSW railways may have changed to coal as the firemen probably could not get enough oil on a coal shovel.

isuzutoo-eh

7th May 2011, 09:01 AM

Pedro, others,
There were some major rolling coal miners strikes which really crippled the various coal fired industries, such as railways in NSW. There were 70 of the 120 55 class standard goods engines converted, and the 20 new Baldwin 59 class were built as oil burners. They were running Bunker C oil by memory, which is thick and heavy, not much better than crude, and had to be heated before it'd flow for refuelling. The crews preferred the oil to coal as their job became cleaner (no coal dust) and the fireman didn't have to shovel anything. Some of the lowly shunting engines were fired on wood during this period!
Coal infrastructure was much easier to maintain and of course being the fuel of choice since the start of the industrial revolution meant it was already widespread in place. So 18 of the 20 59 class were converted to coal and 16 of the 55 class converted back to coal, those that weren't converted were mothballed in case the striking restarted, then scrapped. The two oiler 59s are preserved at Thirlmere-they were used as steam generating plants at a loco depot till the diesel era was in full swing.
There was much more infrastructure set up for coal and it is still cheaper to run a steam loco on coal than fuel oil in Aus, but in the UK the price difference is not so apparent so some of the non-mainline preservation railways are converting to oil firing, such as the Ffestiniog in Wales.

EDIT: In respect to boiler maintenance and clagging up, the 55 and 59 boilers did show faster wear around the firebox tubeplate, as to unclag the oily muck the fireman would throw a handful of sand, or if available (unofficially of course) platform gravel, into the firebox, the grit/gravel would be sucked straight over the arch and through the tubes, wearing them away at the tubeplate.

Bigbjorn

7th May 2011, 09:55 AM

Railroads in the USA had some very, very, big locos that were simply impractical to coal fire. Some were in the vicinity of 600-700 tons. Imagine the amount of coal they would have to carry to go any distance, and how frequently they would have to refill. Also fuel oil was cheap then. Oil companies had major marketing campaigns to get people to convert to oil heating so the companies could sell an otherwise almost useless product.

isuzutoo-eh

7th May 2011, 10:21 AM

Not quite Brian,
Australia's biggest locos weighed 260 tonnes and were mechanically stoked, a bit short of an American Big Boy's 560 tonne weight, which was also mechanically stoked coal fired. The oil firing allowed for designs such as the SP cab forwards, but engines that size could be coal fired in a conventional arrangement.
Some US logging railways, with a seemingly abundant supply of waste firewood, were oil firing their (sub 20 tons) smaller engines-but part of that was bushfire safety.
The USA is a different case, both politically and physically. Virtually all US railroads were privately owned. The US was privately tapping their onshore oil reserves prolifically before AUS was/is. Its all the private ownership where the difference lies.

Pedro_The_Swift

7th May 2011, 04:30 PM

mechanically stoked---
any explanatory pics Mark?

Pedro_The_Swift

7th May 2011, 04:33 PM

and its amazing to think
3801
was half as big as the yank engines,,,:eek:

3-Gees

7th May 2011, 05:20 PM

I'm no expert, but quite a few ,maybe the majority of mainline Yanky locos were "screw fed",imagine two small grain augers(very heavy duty!) together in a tube from the tender to loco,they would pulverise the coal so it was almost blown into the firebox.I'm sure there are pic's somewhere Pedro:D,but even looking at a screw fed loco,it's hard to see whats going on!.As for hand firing a Big-Boy,they say you couldn't do it going down hill with the regulator off and a good tail wind:eek:,theere are a couple of good docco's on these legendary giants!,they still have a couple of Challengers running in the states,that'd be good to see!
Cheeers Gregg;)

isuzutoo-eh

7th May 2011, 05:41 PM

Yeah as 3 Gees said, mechanical stoking is by way of an auger, usually a small steam donkey engine drove it. Beneath the regular firebox door, there was another door that the coal was drawn through. Jets of steam were used to distribute the coal around the firebox grate. My recollection is it was only one auger not two, but haven't had to look at the big engines closely yet so not sure.
There was also a few experiments using pulverised coal, but that was less efficient than lump coal.

Best photos I have are pretty rubbish, this shows the donkey engine on an AD60 Garratt, and the hopper shape of the bunker
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/1487.jpg