International Railroad Discussion > Downunder 2018 Review

Hi all,

After a 12 month plus absence on the sidelines i'm back. Here is a look back at 2018 of my favourite shots working on the railways and following them.

1. Darwin to Adelaide intermodal service, 6DA2 sits in Alice Springs yard between shunting moves with ALF21 and ALF19 on 1/6/18.

2. Genesee & Wyoming's former Freghtlink shunt locomotives, FJ104 and FJ105 sits in Alice Springs yard on 1/6/18. The Clyde-GM/EMD built model G6B units are powered by a 650hp 6-567C.

3. Waiting to depart Tailem Bend yard in South Australia on sunrise is GWA empty grain train to Wolseley hauled by GWA006, GWA003 and GWU006 on 1/12/18. The train has a crew van attached as it was being worked by a relay crew.

Cheers,
Justin

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Next lot.

1. Indian Pacific service 4SA8 races away from Mallala with NR99 and G530 on 1/11/2018.

2. Arriving at Bolivar, SCT service 4172 is about to enter SCT's yard hauled by leased units VL362 and VL353 on 1/11/2018. SCT leased the two VL's from CFCLA for a few months to cover a loco shortage.

3. Arriving at Long Plains for a crew change, Freightlink livered FQ04 leads ALF24 on loaded GWA grain train 4174 from Snowtown on 1/15/2018.
 

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Next lot.

1. SCT service 2MP9 passes the site of Sleeps Hill in Adelaide hauled by SCT001, LDP004, LDP005 and CSR003 on 1/23/18. The two LDP's were part of five on lease to SCT from Progress Rail.

2. Progress Rail's LDP005 on 2MP9. This is the only member of the LDP fleet to wear PR's livery. It formally wore the QR National livery when on long term lease to QRN/Aurizon.

3. Waiting to load at Tailem Bend, GWA grain train 1281S sits under the loader hauled by GWA007, GWU006 and GWA006 on 1/27/18.

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Next lot.

1. SCT service 3MP9 passes through Bowmans hauled by Progress Rail lease units LDP003 and LDP002 on 1/31/18.

2 & 3. GWA intermodal service 3DA2 waits in the siding at McLeay hauled by GWA005 and ALF19 on 2/7/18.

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Next lot.

1. SCT service 2MP9 passes through Dry Creek with a very plain liveried LDP004 leading SCT014 and CSR010 on 2/13/18. Progress Rail units LDP004 and LDP006-LDP009 received this very quick repaint from the QRN livery.

2. Progress Rail's LDP005 outside GWA's wheel lathe at Dry Creek on 2/18/18.

3. SCT light engine movement D143 with CSR010 overtakes GWA empty grain train to Bowmans, 1451 with FQ04 and GWA005 at Long Plains on 3/9/18

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Next lot.

1. CLF6 and FQ04 assist in loading GWA grain train 1513 at Gladstone on 4/9/18.

2. Pacific National's Comeng/ALCo box cab unit, 8050 travels along near Virginia with a special promotional trip by Great Southern Rail to Two Wells on 4/15/18.

3. Awaiting their fate at Islington Workshop are Pacific National units S307, 8007 and PL1 on 4/26/18.

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Next lot.

1. GWA's G535 wearing the Freightliner livery at Great Southern Rail's Keswick passenger terminal picking up a power van for the wheel lathe at Dry Creek on 4/26/18.

2. GWA's loaded copper ore train, 9112 from Wirrida to Pt. Adelaide sits on the main line at Bolivar with veteren A16C, GM37 leading FQ02 and CLP14 on 5/8/18.

3. Inside the cab of GM37.

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Next lot.

1. GWA grain train 2184 is seen loading at Wolseley with GWA009, CLP17, CLP16 and GWA001 on 5/11/18.

2. Former Aurizon owned unit now owned by CFCLA, X53 is in the process of being stripped for parts at Islington Workshops on 5/13/18. This Clyde built G26C (SD38AC running gear) was scrapped later that year.

3. Exiting Sleeps Hill tunnel, Pacific National service 3MP5 is hauled by NR99, NR6, 8050 and 8220 on 5/16/18.

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Next lot.

1-3. Light engine movement D141 passes through Dry Creek with Pacific Nationals NR42 hauling ALCo's PL1 and 8007 plus Clyde/EMD S307 bound for Progress Rail's Pt. Augusta Workshop on 5/23/18. PL1 has taken up the role as the workshop shunt loco while 8007 and S307 are due to be eventually scrapped.

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Next lot.

1. Freshly painted NSU63 on display at Adelaide River in the Northern Territory on 5/29/18.

2. 3DA2 with GWA003 and ALF22 wait on the main line at Kingoonya for line clearance on 5/30/18.

3. The same train waits on the siding at Pimba under a full moon, 5/30/18.

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Next lot.

1. Loaded GWA ballast train from Pt. Augusta to Cadney Park, 9M25 waits outside Tent Hill for a track gang to clear hauled by CLP14 and ALF19 on 6/17/18.

2. The same train waiting under the stars at Cadney Park on 6/18/18.

3. Now as train 9M26 with ALF19 leading CLP14 the train waits at the 754km peg on the Darwin line for daylight to come and begin unloading, 6/18/18.

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Next lot.

1. With daylight now arrived, 9M26 get ready to start unloading ballast on 6/18/18.

2. All done for the day, 9M26 has stabled for the night on the siding at Wirrida, 6/18/18.

3. The sun is starting to come up at Wirrida as 9M26 prepares to start another day of ballast discharge with ALF19 and CLP14 on 6/19/18.

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Next lot.

1. 7MP7 with NR100, NR73 and Comeng/ALCo unit 8050 climbs upgrade at Yantaringa on 6/30/18.

2. The same train rounding Fosters Corner at Belair.

3. Waiting on the siding at Katherine in the NT is GWA service 3AD1 with GWA001 and ALF19 on 7/19/18. A wayward Wedge Tailed Eagle took out the drivers side numberlight on the GWA earlier down the track.

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Next lot.

1. GWA intermodal service 6AD1 with GWA005 and ALF22 crosses 6DA2 with GWA001 and ALF19 at Cadney Park on 7/21/18.

2. Loading grain at Grainflow Mallala's balloon loop is GWA train 4132 hauled by solo GWA004 on 8/7/18.

3. Heading along near Korunye is Southern Shorthaul Railroad's empty grain train 5503 hauled by five wide cab GT26C's in the form of C510, C506, C504, C509 and C507 on 8/20/18. The train was heading to Grainflow Mallala's balloon loop.

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Next lot.

1. Waiting under a nice night at Illoquara in the Northern Territory, GWA service 3DA2 waits in the siding hauled by GWA010 and FQ02 on 9/22/18. I used an LED torch to light up the train.

2. 5DA2 waits on the main line at Bolivar hauled by GWA007 and CLF6 while Bowmans Rail's Cristal Mining service mineral sand train passes through on the siding hauled by MPI built CM3308 and CM3306 on 10/6/18.

3. With track work blocking the path ahead, GWA copper ore train 9112 with GWA007 and CLF6 waits on the 'branch line' at very wet Tarcoola while empty ARTC ballast train 8M42 hauled by GWA units ALF23 and ALF23 waits on the crossing loop, 10/8/18.

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Next lot.

1. SCT service 3PG1 from Perth to Parkes approaches Lyons with SCT001 and SCT015 on 10/18/18.

2. 9112 loaded copper ore service with GWA007 and ALF18 waits on the branch line at Tarcoola on 10/22/18.

3. GWA service 2DA2 with GWA006 and CLF6 overtakes empty ARTC ballast train 8M44 hauled by GWA units CLP14 and ALF23 on 10/30/18.

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Next lot.

1. 8M44 empty ARTC ballast train hauled by CLP14 and ALF23 waits in the siding at Burando on 10/30/18.

2. 6M22 loaded ARTC ballast train from Whyalla to Pt. Augusta travels along near Lincoln Gap hauled by CLP14 and ALF23 on 10/31/18.

3. The same train approaching Pt. Augusta.

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Next lot.

1. SCT's CSR007 and Pacific National's freshly overhauled and repainted G519 sit side by side in Progress Rail's Pt. Augusta Workshops on 10/31/18.

2. Passing through Yorkeys Crossing, PN service 4MP7 heads for Perth with NR86 and NR15 on 10/31/18.

3. A little bit later at the same location, SCT service 3MP9 heads west with SCT013 and SCT014 on 10/31/18.

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Next lot.

1. 4M22 transer movement from Pt. Augusta to Dry Creek with CLP14 and ALF23 either side of crew car ADFY4 wait on the siding at Port Germein on 11/2/18. The engines had previously worked two ARTC ballast trains.

2. The same movement waiting in a siding further down the track at Two Wells. Also waiting further back in the siding is Bowmans Rail service 4120 with GL108 and GL111 on 11/2/18.

3. Another transfer movement, 4M22 waits on the siding at Snowtown with ALF19, crew van and Freightliner liveried G535 on 11/22/18. The engines and crew van had been on a ballast train earlier that day and were also transferring a couple of departmental wagons back to Dry Creek.

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Next lot.

1. 4M22 waits in the siding at Snowtown as PN service 4MP5 with NR78 and NR97 passes through on 11/22/18.

2. Derailment damaged Pacific National unit NR120 in Spencer Jct yard at Port Augusta on 12/6/18.

3. Waiting in the siding at Hesso under stormy skies is loaded ARTC ballast train to Cook with GWA009 and CLF6 on 12/12/18.

 

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