Australia - Modern Scene

[Gwiwer]

I'm not too sure in the NZ context David but blue has been used in some locations as having better visibility than green. It may also have another meaning altogether. Blue appears beneath a main aspect on some LU signals as a point or electrical indication I believe

[mr45144]

I'm not too sure in the NZ context David but blue has been used in some locations as having better visibility than green. It may also have another meaning altogether. Blue appears beneath a main aspect on some LU signals as a point or electrical indication I believe

The purple is a points indicator - the example that I recall is on the Track Warrant Controlled loop at Milton south of Dunedin. Purple indicates that the points are set correctly so red over r3ed over purple means your road is set but you still can't go yet!

[DavidB-AU]

Queensland Rail Limited and QR National Pty Ltd were formally separated on 1 July pending the float of QRN on the Australian Stock Exchange.

 

The new Queensland Rail livery and logo were unveiled at Roma St yesterday.

 

Cheers

David

[DavidB-AU]

Fresh out of the Bluebird Rail paint shop in Adelaide....

 

 

I have to say the traditional Australian "flying brick" wears the livery quite well.

 

Cheers

David

[Gwiwer]

I have to say that looks better than the same livery on the "Ugly Betty" class 70 in the UK. Neither is the most attractive design of loco.

[griffgriff]

Fresh out of the Bluebird Rail paint shop in Adelaide....

 

 

I have to say the traditional Australian "flying brick" wears the livery quite well.

 

Cheers

David

 

I feel I need to say on behalf of the whole of dear old blighty that we are all truly very sorry for exporting that livery to your country Just before an 'Ashes' tour too... how insensitive of us to have a loco painted in Australia's one day strip:D

[DavidB-AU]

It arrived in Newcastle today and should be in service tomorrow or Saturday.

 

http://brians-pics.fotopic.net/p67458951.html

 

Cheers

David

[DavidB-AU]

The Great Train Race from the 2011 Hunter Valley Steamfest.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rnqWu9Dnpc

 

3265 is very sprightly for a 109 year old!

 

Cheers

David

[mobi323]

And a bit more on the Laidley steam special (it wouldn't take all the pics at once).

 

 

The above pic shows Laidley as it was a few years before the derailment of a coal train which 'modified' the trackwork - fortunately sparing the station structure.

 

Now we move back to the Grandchester area on the lineside just west of the station where the line begins to climb towards Laidley and the west

 

 

Incidentally the town of Granchester (not actually shown in these pictures) was almost totally wiped out in the Jan 2011 floods.

[bingley hall]

Not exactly modern scene as most of the views cannot be recreated these days, but I have added some South Australian images to my Flickr pages HERE depicting Australian National operations mainly from the mid 1980s.

 

 

On the now closed narrow gauge Gladstone to Wilmington line a pair of Sulzer powered NT class locomotives have just placed a rake of bogie wagons for loading with grain at the Booleroo Central silos in September 1987.

 

 

GM46 entered service in 1967 and was photographed at the Mile Diesel Depot in mid-1989. It is still in service today with Genesee & Wyoming Australia and hasn't had a repaint for at least 22 years!!

[Franco]

First of all thanks everyone for these beautiful pictures/films and whatever else

Then a couple of little questions: I've noticed that the lever of the steam regulator works "downwards," I mean that engineer pushes it down to open and draws it up to close steam it sounds quite strange to me as I've always seen it the opposite for safety reason, then I haven't seen anything bridging the gap beetween cabin and tender sides like chains or bars was I right or was my sight?

Thanks in advance for your replies

[bingley hall]

A couple of more updates to my Australian content on Flickr.

 

I have added a new set covering operations on the narrow gauge (3'6")line serving the OneSteel steelworks at Whyalla in South Australia HERE

 

Also I have updated the captions and added more images to the set covering the construction of the Alice Springs to Darwin railway HERE

 

Operated by Genesee & Wyoming Australia on behalf of OneSteel Whyalla, an empty ore train heads for the mine at Iron Duke in December 2008.

 

In 2008 new wagons were delivered to cope with increased tonnages of iron ore. An empty train nears the junction for the closed mine at Iron Baron.

 

With a rebuilt Alco branchliner in the lead, an empty train leaves the steelworks at Whyalla.

 

With temperatures on the 35C to 40C range, welding lengths of rail on the Alice Springs to Darwin railway construction project using the Thermit weld process.

[milkman matt]

Here are som photo's from Victoria's "golden Triangle" taken in January this year.

 

Ballarat Station plaforms under the overall roof.

 

Clunes Railway station which was used in the Film "Mad Max". The station is currently closed but, is scheduled for reopening later this year

 

One interesting feature of the platform at clunes is this planter on the middle post supporting the canopy

 

Maryborough Railway station. Built to a grand scale!

 

The Ticket windows at Marybourough station.

 

All woodwork on the station was built solidly! here are just 2 of the doors on the platform

 

The parcels scale built into the platform.

 

And last of all, a long shot of the platform giving some idea of the length of the platform. The station is undergoing some restoration hence, the temporary fencing on the platform.

[Franco]

Those wooden frames and the glass work are absolutely fantastic!

[yellowvanman]

Hi Gwiwer..great thread , just been out to see big bruv (P.C.M) for a few weeks , family hols so no time for much `Railway` stuff but we managed a few shots around Southern Cross and further out around Melbourne, need to get out for a real tour around the railway systems ..so much to see...cheers YVM.

[Gwiwer]

Hi Gwiwer..great thread , just been out to see big bruv (P.C.M) for a few weeks

 

Sorry you didn't manage to find your way over here as well but there's only so much time ............

 

The elusive steelie! Melbourne Steel Terminal - Long Island. Works to a fairly reliable timetable, due to single-line working, of two round trips a day (one of which is in the small hours) but never seems to be in its booked pathway when I'm out with the camera. Until yesterday. Managed a token shot at Long Island Junction (Hastings) where the steel works line branches off the single track Frankston - Stony Point line. So here - taken from the relative safety of the main road where the line crosses it - is BL29 waiting time at the signal before joining the main line towards Melbourne.

 

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

Yes we didn't have much luck with the steel train, Do you know what time it normally leaves the junction? I used to see it waiting to go out at about 3.00 3.30 but didn't see it this week while at work and driving past the few times I was over that way.

 

Here is one from a while ago.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

The times I have are from a few years ago but still seem to be the paths allocated on the single line beyond Frankston. The train is often held on the down fast at Moorabbin or in the up loop at Caulfield and as necessary in 3 road at Frankston awaiting a path.

 

Train 9553 passes Frankston 12.58, Somerville 13.19, Long Island Junction 13.26 (Weekdays; runs 30 minutes later Saturdays and Sundays)

Train 9555 passes Frankston 00.58, Somerville 01.23, Long Island Junction 01.32 (Daily)

 

Train 9552 passes Long Island Junction 04.00, Somerville 04.10, Frankston 04.33 (Tuesdays - Saturdays; runs 30 minutes later Mondays)

Train 9556 passes Long Island Junction 16.48, Somerville 16.59, Frankston 17.18 (Weekdays; runs 50 minutes later on Sundays)

Train 9558 passes Long Island Junction 17.39, Somerville 17.52, Frankston 18.20 (Saturdays only)

 

9555 down can come through any time after midnight in practice. On a quiet night the sound of the loco (usually only one) working hard and slow up to Langwarrrin summit then whistling for the level crossings on its way downhill to Baxter can be heard for around 15 minutes. 9556 up is interesting in that it has to be slotted into the evening peak traffic and is booked through Flinders Street at 18.43 though has been seen much earlier.

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for that.

 

Cheers Peter.

[bingley hall]

I've added just over 20 more images to my Australian Trains set on Flickr HERE

 

A Pacific National Melbourne to Perth intermodal services nears Long Plains in South Australia. The leading NR class is one of several specially painted for use on Sydney to Perth Indian Pacific passenger services.

 

In West Kalgoorlie Yard, Western Australia, two Australian Railroad Group Q class locos have just run around their Koolyanobbing to Esperance loaded iron ore train.

 

In September 2003, rebuilt Alco branchliner DA6 sits at the head of a grain train being loaded at Cummins on the 3'6" gauge Eyre Peninsula network in South Australia.

 

A Patrick Portlink services from Port Pirie to Port Adelaide carrying lead ingots for export, passes the grain silos at Redhill in the Mid North of South Australia. The two trailing units are former Kowloon Canton Railway EMD G12s, originally built in Australia, which were repatriated and are now leased out to rail operators.

 

A Sydney Cityrail services formed of Tangara double deck units arrives at Sydney Central

[bingley hall]

More images added to the South Australian 'archive' set HERE

 

 

Australian National Alco 'World' 945 leads two Alco DL531 siblings 832/842 upgrade near the Adelaide suburb of Eden Hills with the Sunday afternoon goods from Adelaide to Mount Gambier in March 1987.

 

 

The regular weekly Adelaide to Strathalbyn goods behind Alco branchliners 839/844 passes through the station at Bridgewater in the Adelaide Hills on 24 April 1987.

 

 

I could write a 1000 words about this image. The US Roadrailer concept was marketed in Australi under the Trailerail banner. Near Port Augusta in January 1997, a short consist trails Goninan/GE built EL61 forming an Adelaide to Perth service.

 

 

An Adelaide to Melbourne 'superfreighter' passes through suburban Lynton and starts its climb through the Adelaide Hills behind S307/937/931 - 18 January 1988.

 

 

Displaced in 1997 from interstate passenger trains the CLPs still found gainful employment on transcontinental freight services. On 20 December 1998, CLP17/CLP9 are near the site of Burnsfield in the Mid North with a Perth to Adelaide freight service operated on behalf of the Toll group.

[Satan's Goldfish]

Had a trawl through old holiday snaps, excuse my poor photographic skills:

 

Indian Pacific at Perth February 2007

 

 

 

 

Trans-Perth 3 car multiple units headed north up the middle of the freeway towards Joondalup October 2010. Taking pictures while I was driving up the freeway was carried out by mrs SG honest :

 

 

 

Not sure if these count as Prototype or Model Castledare Miniature Railway October 2010. Locos and rolling stock built to 1/6th scale (so the driver informed me) running on 7 1/4 inch track. I know what i'll be building when we've moved out there permanently The guys were more than happy to take the covers off to show us the internal workings of these fantastic minatures but unfortunately I didn't take any pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[C130]

Not my pictures, but here is what happens when high winds and trains meet...

http://www.busaustra...t=61111#p716141

http://www.busaustra...t=61116#p716485

http://www.busaustra...t=61120#p716516

And here is the same set not even 2 weeks before on a tour to farwell this type of V set

http://www.busaustra...hp?f=42&t=60941

 

Now for some photos of my local station, Narara. It serves the suburbs of Narara and Wyoming.

The above is Platform 1 on the south bound line. The next station is Gosford, one of the 4 main stations on the Central Coast.

Next is Country Link Xplorer 2523 flying through platform 1. Narara station is only serviced by all stations services, so has only 1-2 services an hour making use of it during non-peak times.

Finally, for now, is a photo showing the appaling state of some of the V-set carriages. Trains along with buses in Australia have an unfortunate problem of being the target of bogans fun. Trains are often seen with half washed graffiti on the sides, or with the windows being unable to be used because of the amount of "Scratchiti" on them. Out of frame to left on this photo were a number of VB beer bottles sitting on a parcel shelf.

[Gwiwer]

Trains along with buses in Australia have an unfortunate problem of being the target of bogans fun.

 

That is unfortunately true of Sydney and Newcastle area trains and buses and also around Adelaide. It is much less of a problem in the other cities. Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane public transport is occasionally "tagged" but seldom seen with much else in addition to the official liveries.

[jukebox]

That is unfortunately true of Sydney and Newcastle area trains and buses and also around Adelaide. It is much less of a problem in the other cities. Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane public transport is occasionally "tagged" but seldom seen with much else in addition to the official liveries.

 

Unfortunately, Perth is not immune to the plonkers who scratch glass - the EMUs are rife with window "art". Luckily any external paintwork gets removed very quickly by the operating authority.