Australia - Modern Scene

[45568]

I have not previously posted on this thread, but if there is sufficient interest I am happy to share images taken in the 'Golden West'. My most recent trip was with my son, Ian, for my birthday on the 5th May. We spent time on and around the South West Main line from Pinjarra to Brunswick Junction. Typically traffic in this section is the moving of Bauxite ore, Alumina, Caustic Soda and the occasional coal traffic, all relevant to the Aluminium smelting industry.

The pioneer S class 3301 recently outshopped takes a caustic train from the refinery at Calcine to Alcoa Kwinana south of Perth.

This is an ex-Aurizon Queensland 28 class loco. 2819, classified PA here in W.A. It is an orphan on the system, all the others still working in Queensland. It has recently been reactivated. Caustic train from Bunbury port to the refinery at Calcine.

The Australind passenger service heading to Bunbury. This diesel set is due to be replaced in the next two years.

ACN 4173 heads a loaded Alumina train to Bunbury port.

Sister engine 4145 heads empties back to the refinery from Bunbury.

We have caught up with ACN4173 at the small town of Burekup, home to the Henty family since 1831!!

There is a crossing loop just south of Burekup, and this P class loco had been held in the loop with empty alumina wagons waiting for the ACN, crossing immediately after the ACN departed.

Cheers from WA,

Peter C.

Edited May 11, 2023 by 45568

[45568]

A couple more from the SW trip on May 5.

 

Having now finished at Calcine as seen earlier in the day, PA2819 heads back to Bunbury with Caustic tankers in tow at Roelands.

Having crossed PA 2819 at Burekup, P2506 heads the other way with more Caustic tanks.

 

At Brunswick Junction P2512 surprised us with yet more caustic tanks, this time from the refinery at Worsley.

Last shot of the day sees ACN4145 heading loaded Alumina to Bunbury port, with the rolling green hills of the Darling Scarp as a backdrop.

Unusually during the whole outing, we saw none of the usually ubiquitous bauxite trains, loaded or empty. A very pleasant 6 hours linesiding!

Cheers from WA,

Peter C.

[Coach bogie]

Aurizon Tri-Bo' 3838/370 with 3810 further down the train head out of Rockhampton heading for Gladstone on an export merry go round coal working.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Coach bogie]

Coming from Britain where the railways are all fenced in, the running of mainline trains through the streets of Rockhampton is totally alien to me. In addition the transport of cattle, by train is also new to me as livestock by rail finished over 60 years ago in the UK.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[DavidB-AU]

Those cattle wagons are basically containers so the flats can be used at other times as needed.

 

There's another famous location in Victoria where the railway runs down the middle of the main street.

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

The first revenue standard gauge train to the Port of Brisbane since 2017 and the first regular standard gauge trains there since 2005. It followed a light engine test on 10 September.

 

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

This was in my youtube recommendations, shot  last Friday.

 

Nice to see the Auscision Models branding on CLP9!

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[DavidB-AU]

16,000hp to move a lot of grain over Ardglen.

 

 

[Coach bogie]

Just to show the sun does not always shine in Brisbane, 2415,2411 on ballast duties waiting between Graceville and Sherwood during a break in the rain today. If the sun had been out, this image would have been very challenging  as direct into the sun. Note the rare use of UK style buffers for hauling heritage stock duties.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Coach bogie

[DavidB-AU]

In the last few weeks, Newcastle and Hunter Valley media have been running a fair number of stories about a push for the NSW government to take over the remaining portion of the South Maitland Railway and run commuter services. Example: https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2023/11/07/cessnock-train-petition-gains-momentum/

 

The line is owned by Austar Coal and nominally still open, but the Pelton colliery ceased production in March 2020 and will officially close in 2026 after remediation work.

 

The proposal is for stations at Gillieston Heights, North Kurri Kurri (for Hunter TAFE), Kurri Kurri/Weston (these used to be separate towns but now meet at the railway), Abermain, Aberdare/Cessnock (with a new bus interchange) and Bellbird.

 

it currently takes about 90 min by bus and train from Cessnock to Newcastle but a through train would take about 55 min.

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, DavidB-AU said:

In the last few weeks, Newcastle and Hunter Valley media have been running a fair number of stories about a push for the NSW government to take over the remaining portion of the South Maitland Railway and run commuter services. Example: https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2023/11/07/cessnock-train-petition-gains-momentum/

 

The line is owned by Austar Coal and nominally still open, but the Pelton colliery ceased production in March 2020 and will officially close in 2026 after remediation work.

 

The proposal is for stations at Gillieston Heights, North Kurri Kurri (for Hunter TAFE), Kurri Kurri/Weston (these used to be separate towns but now meet at the railway), Abermain, Aberdare/Cessnock (with a new bus interchange) and Bellbird.

 

it currently takes about 90 min by bus and train from Cessnock to Newcastle but a through train would take about 55 min.

Back to the future?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Maitland_Railway_railcar

[DavidB-AU]

A relaxing way to spend a few hours.

 

 

[Johann Marsbar]

I took this photo at Islington Yard, Adelaide, back in 2004, so not particularly "modern", but have so far failed to identify exactly what loco type/builder it is........

 

 

As the running line ends immediately behind it, it may well have been in store there, but can anyone identify it?

[45568]

1 hour ago, Johann Marsbar said:

I took this photo at Islington Yard, Adelaide, back in 2004, so not particularly "modern", but have so far failed to identify exactly what loco type/builder it is........

 

 

As the running line ends immediately behind it, it may well have been in store there, but can anyone identify it?

It is an ex-W.A.G.R H class Bo-Bo diesel. They were purchased by SCT as shunters in Perth W.A. and South Australia, which is where you saw this one.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAGR_H_class_(diesel)

 

Hope this helps,

Cheers from WestOz,

Peter C.

[Johann Marsbar]

2 hours ago, 45568 said:

It is an ex-W.A.G.R H class Bo-Bo diesel. They were purchased by SCT as shunters in Perth W.A. and South Australia, which is where you saw this one.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAGR_H_class_(diesel)

 

Hope this helps,

Cheers from WestOz,

Peter C.

 

Many thanks for that. I'd looked at locos from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, but not Western Australia!

[faulcon1]

Here's part one of the a cab ride trip on the Guflander from Normanton to Critters Camp. The maximum speed on the line is 40kph or 25 mph.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by faulcon1

[faulcon1]

Here's part two from Critters Camp to Croydon. This famous railway goes from nowhere to nowhere much and is completely isolated from the rest of the Queensland railway network. There were plans to connect it to the rest of the network but, well, they just never got round to it.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by faulcon1

[DavidB-AU]

18 hours ago, faulcon1 said:

Here's part two from Critters Camp to Croydon. This famous railway goes from nowhere to nowhere much and is completely isolated from the rest of the Queensland railway network. There were plans to connect it to the rest of the network but, well, they just never got round to it.

 

Extending the line from Croydon to Georgetown was actually approved by Parliament twice, in 1893 and 1929. Both times it was thwarted by depressions. Georgetown is only 40km from Forsayth so the connection would probably have been made in the 1930s if the second one had gone ahead.

[faulcon1]

On 26/12/2023 at 15:56, DavidB-AU said:

 

Extending the line from Croydon to Georgetown was actually approved by Parliament twice, in 1893 and 1929. Both times it was thwarted by depressions. Georgetown is only 40km from Forsayth so the connection would probably have been made in the 1930s if the second one had gone ahead.

Thanks for that info, much appreciated.

[DavidB-AU]

So.... who is to blame for this?

 

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/adelaide-hills-murraylands/spanish-train-operator-talgos-adelaide-hills-train-trial-appears-to-be-dead-after-size-and-distance-confusion/news-story/ca426569372841c149a36ebbaba89fa1

 

The TL;DR version from behind the paywall.

 

During the 2022 South Australian election campaign, the now Premier promised to allow Talgo to run a trial commuter service between Adelaide and Mount Barker. In February 2023 he flew to Madrid and met with Talgo officials. Now Talgo says it "misunderstood" the size of Mount Barker's population (21,000) and the distance (33 km as the Adelaide Crow flies, 55km by rail) and said "that's not what our trains do".

[DavidB-AU]

End of an era in Victoria with the last scheduled loco-hauled H set running to Geelong last Friday. As of the last timetable update in November there were only 2 return services each weekday using H sets, one from Bacchus Marsh (replaced by Vlocity DMUs in December) and this one. That's end of 40 years of interurban service which followed 30 years of suburban service as Harris trains.

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

Canberra to Sydney in real time from the cab of a light engine movement.

 

 

[faulcon1]

This video is the beginning of a journey in far north Queensland from Forsayth to Cairns. It's a four day journey with the passengers staying overnight in pubs.

 

 

Edited March 6 by faulcon1

[faulcon1]

Here's part three

 

 

[faulcon1]

Here's part four. I've excluded Part 1 because it's this video but the other way from Mount Surprise to Einasleigh.