Australia - Modern Scene

[r12477]

For those interested in Victorian modern scene, there are a number of great videos on the Victorian Drivers View channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtdTpDamVj0z6-ZKMPZYytw). The videos include drivers views along the length of major suburban lines and shunting actions performed at yards and points throughout the network.

[DavidB-AU]

Another short little train. Although this is "modern scene" it is noteworthy that GM10 has just turned 70 years old.

 

 

[Budgie]

21 minutes ago, DavidB-AU said:

Another short little train. Although this is "modern scene" it is noteworthy that GM10 has just turned 70 years old.

Crumbs! It's still younger than me, though.

 

Are those two locos on the rear running by radio control from the loco on the front?

[Purnu]

Hi Budgie.

 

The 2 locos at the rear are crewed and driven independently from those on the lead, no DPU or loctrol on that 'retro' consist. Contact with the lead crew is through an appropriate radio channel.

 

I've a friend who works part time as a driver for SSR, for someone who reckons he doesn't enjoy driving those type of consists he sure has a lot of photos and videos from his day job.... 😄

 

 

[Coach bogie]

Having arrived in Brisbane recently, I now have a bit of time to explore the local freights. Here is a container train heading through Graceville early on a Saturday morning.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Re6/6]

On 11/07/2022 at 11:23, DavidB-AU said:

Another short little train. Although this is "modern scene" it is noteworthy that GM10 has just turned 70 years old.

 

 

An amazing variety of motive power David. With my ignorance of Aussie railways, I'm glad that I came across this thread!

[Coach bogie]

This mornings containers through Sherwood. All within an hour.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

 

 

[bingley hall]

Spent a few days in late July/early August chasing sugar cane trains in Queensland all are 2-foot gauge (610mm)

 

 

South Johnstone Mill 0-6-0DH locos 17 & 16 head down the main street at South Johnstone on 4 August 2022

 

Mossman Mill locos Douglas & Faughy at the Cassowary load point on 6 August 2022

 

Victoria Mill's 0-6-0DH Lucinda heading back to the mill with loaded cane on 29 July 2022

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by bingley hall

[faulcon1]

This in one part of many of a cab ride on the XPT in 2004. If you want to see the other parts then please say so.

 

 

[Coach bogie]

2321D and 2306D approach Yeerongpilly with coal empties from Fishermans Island, this morning.

 

Does anyone know what has happened to all the Aurizon container traffic in Brisbane? Have not seen any for a couple of weeks and Acacia Ridge was empty of am Aurizon locos.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[DavidB-AU]

42 minutes ago, Coach bogie said:

Does anyone know what has happened to all the Aurizon container traffic in Brisbane? Have not seen any for a couple of weeks and Acacia Ridge was empty of am Aurizon locos.

 

Aurizon sold its intermodal business to Linfox and sold Acacia Ridge to Pacific National. Aurizon’s Bulk provides the hook and pull between Brisbane and Cairns (usually a 2800) but the locos don't hang around in Brisbane very long. 

[Coach bogie]

9 minutes ago, DavidB-AU said:

 

Aurizon sold its intermodal business to Linfox and sold Acacia Ridge to Pacific National. Aurizon’s Bulk provides the hook and pull between Brisbane and Cairns (usually a 2800) but the locos don't hang around in Brisbane very long. 

Are the containers still unloading at Acacia Ridge? There used to be two trains through Graceville between 10:30 and 11:30 in a morning. One went to Acacia, the other changed crew at the old Tennyson platform and continued south. but I have not seen either of them run for a few weeks now.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[DavidB-AU]

15 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

Are the containers still unloading at Acacia Ridge? There used to be two trains through Graceville between 10:30 and 11:30 in a morning. One went to Acacia, the other changed crew at the old Tennyson platform and continued south. but I have not seen either of them run for a few weeks now.

 

Some are going to Acacia Ridge but there's more going directly to the port. The loco doesn't stay very long, usually only long enough to take fuel and drop onto another load of containers for the north. The last few I've seen going to Acacia Ridge have gone via South Brisbane. 

 

Cheers

David

[Coach bogie]

I Haven't seen a class 28 for a few weeks and then three within a few minutes. Getting off the train at Yeerongpilly, at 12:20, a pair came off the Tennyson branch and a single 28 was in Clapham yard.

 

There was an issue with the dual gauge diamonds with freight held back in Tennyson and Corinda.

An almost deserted PN yard at Tennyson. Usually the yard has locos between PN001-13 available but seen in the sidings is 8341 which has been shut down in the same position all week. In the far distance id the road/rail 'shunter' normally stored at the back of one of the spurs. WRA002/004 held for over two hours whilst the diamond is repaired.

Mike Wiltshire

 

[bingley hall]

Amazingly 11 of the 17 Morrison Knudsen CL class rebuilds in Oz are still active with another four still with the potential to return at some stage.....

Back in October, Southern Shorthaul Railroad's CLF1 was leading train 2MC5  at Coolamon after loading at the mainline loader a few kms to the east, while last Saturday saw Aurizon Bulk Central's CLF6 and CLP8 as part of the lash up near Port Adelaide on 4176S grain from Snowtown.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2023 by bingley hall

[bingley hall]

The Southern Shorthaul Railroad crew get to enjoy a panoramic view of the flooded Burdett Swamp at Murray Bridge South Australia on Friday 17 February 2022 - a very rare occurrence. 

The train is Australian Rail Track Corporation's track recording cars hauled by privately owned, former NSWGR loco, 42103, working with Southern Shorthaul Railroad's GM10.

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

Some 645E ear candy. Passes Zig Zag from about 7:30.

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

Aurizon signs ‘biggest non-coal revenue contract ever’

 

Aurizon has secured a $1.8 billion 11-year contract with logistics group Team Global Express to shift containerised goods on rail networks around Australia as it diversifies away from coal haulage.

 

About two thirds of the services that Aurizon will provide for TGE will be across Australia between Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth, with the remainder to be up and down the east coast between Melbourne and Brisbane. The services will start in April 2023.

 

https://www.afr.com/companies/infrastructure/aurizon-signs-biggest-non-coal-revenue-contract-ever-20230220-p5cltg

[Coach bogie]

Can you tell me if all the coal trains to Brisbane docks are now finished. I have not seen any coal trains for a couple of months now. Not much freight of any kind, through Corinda during daylight hours. Even the Pacific National container base at Tennyson is often empty during the day, compared to pre Christmas when you could often see up to four locos and trains being made up.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[DavidB-AU]

22 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

Can you tell me if all the coal trains to Brisbane docks are now finished. I have not seen any coal trains for a couple of months now. Not much freight of any kind, through Corinda during daylight hours. Even the Pacific National container base at Tennyson is often empty during the day, compared to pre Christmas when you could often see up to four locos and trains being made up.

 

Coal production in the Surat basin has dropped to almost nil due to recent storms. Container traffic has also been restricted due to the derailment at Marmor between Rockhampton and Gladstone. However there has been increased Watco grain traffic from south of Toowoomba.

[Coach bogie]

Thanks for this intel. It explains why it has been so quiet. Whilst waiting for a no show coal train I did catch the SSR test train going through Yeerongpilly.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, Coach bogie said:

Thanks for this intel. It explains why it has been so quiet. Whilst waiting for a no show coal train I did catch the SSR test train going through Yeerongpilly.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Being pedantic, it's not a test train per se but a track recording train, the "AK cars" converted from former NSWGR passenger cars:

 

http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11331592-0-asc-s0+ak.htm

 

 

[DavidB-AU]

31 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Being pedantic, it's not a test train per se but a track recording train, the "AK cars" converted from former NSWGR passenger cars:

 

 

They are owned by ARTC. Many operators do the hook and pull.

[DavidB-AU]

16,000hp with a little container train.

 

 

[bingley hall]

A few pics from a recent trip to 'outback' South Oz

 

128 wagons of iron ore and 11200 hauled tonnes could be too much for one loco, but there are two more out of sight bringing up the rear as distributed power. On Monday 24 April 2023, GWB103 (built in the US by Progress Rail) heads Aurizon Bulk Central's train #9612 from Wirrida to Whyalla as it approaches the Stuart Highway overpass, just outside Port Augusta, South Australia. Locos still carry Genesee & Wyoming colours, despite G & W having had no presence in Australia for three years now.
Ore in the landscape by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

 

Running about 5 hours early is Aurizon train 7PU1 carrying empty containers that had been used to carry processed mineral sands on the westbound journey from Broken Hill to Perth. Luckily we were staying at a roadhouse only 10km from the highway overpass and had set the alarm for 6.15am, so were able to get going and grab this shot about 40 minutes after sunrise.

This is the longest distance mineral haul in Australia and the westbound train grosses over 9000 tonnes. The empties go like the clappers and it was around 130km between shots with this train.

Event Aurizon by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

 

Hauled by CSR022/024, SCT Logistics service 7PG1 from Perth in Western Australia to Parkes in New South Wales on 24 April 2023. A year ago this area had been the scene of a serious washaway that closed the transcontinental rail line for over three weeks.

Outback transcontinental by Bingley Hall, on Flickr

Edited May 5, 2023 by bingley hall