International Railroad Discussion > Downunder Images - January to March 2022

Hi everyone,

Here are some images from the first quarter of 2022. All in South Australia unless noted.

1. One Rail's A16C, GM43 waits in Spencer Jct yard on 1/6/22.

2. After having replaced the failed lead unit on 4DA2 at Spencer Jct, the old unit plus FQ01 wait in the rain at Port Germein on 1/6/22.

3. EL51 and EL63 wait to depart Outer Harbour with One Rail empty grain train 1122S on 1/13/22.

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Next lot.

1. Journey Beyond Rail's Great Southern passenger train, 6AK8 passes through Mt. Lofty with NR30 and NR31 on 1/14/22.

2. Climbing the grade into Mt. Lofty is SCT service 5MP9 with EL56, SCT006, EL55, EL62 and EL60 on 1/14/22. SCT has quite a few EL's on hire from Rail First.

3. One Rail intermodal service, 6DA2 waits to depart from Berrimah in Darwin, Northern Territory with GWA007 and CLP14 on 1/21/22.

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Next lot.

1. One Rail shunt locomotive, FJ104 still wearing its Freightlink livery sits in Alice Springs yard, Northern Territory on 1/23/22.

2. SCT service 4MA9 passes through Tailem Bend with SCT004, SCT008, SCT013 on 1/27/22.

3. Having completed loading, 1281S grain train sits in Tailem Bend yard with GWU003, GWA001, V544 and GWB102 on 1/27/22.

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Next lot.

1. SCT service 6KA9 with EL57, EL51 and EL62 passes through Nairne on 2/25/22.

2. SCT service 5PM9 with SCT009, SCT014, CSR003, CSR014, SCT006, CF4406 and CF4405 crosses the Murray River bridge at Murray Bridge on 3/6/22.

3. One Rail loaded grain train, 2182S climbs out of Callington with FQ04, G533, GWU002, GWU003 on 3/6/22.

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Next lot.

1. 2182S passes through Nairne with FQ04, G533, GWU002, GWU003 on 3/6/22.

2. One Rail grain train, 1AK1 to Murtoa waits at Serviceton, Victoria during a crew change with FQ02, V544, G535, GWB103 on 3/7/22.

3. SCT service 7922V from Dooen to Melbourne passes through Murtoa, Victoria with EL62, EL57, EL51 on 3/7/22.

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Next lot.

1. Journey Beyond Rail's The Overland service, 2MA8 passes through Murtoa, Victoria hauled by NR42 on 3/7/22.

2. Waiting at Bowmans for a failed train to clear the section ahead is One Rail intermodal service, 4DA2 with GWB102, CLP14 on 3/10/22.

3. SCT service 3PM9 with CSR004, SCT011, CSR008, ACB4405, ACB4406 has just passed through Mt. Barker Jct on 3/11/22. The two Aurizon units were being transferred from Western Australia to New South Wales.

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Next lot.

1. 6DA2 with GWB101 and CLP17 waits to depart Wirrida on 3/19/22.

2. One Rail empty grain train, 4AK1 to Murtoa waits at Keith with V544, ALF22, 2210, GM46, ALF24, ALF19 on 3/23/22.

3. GM46 and 2210 on 4AK1 at Keith. The GM's and 22's vary rarely make it south of Adelaide these days.

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Next lot.

1. 4AK1 sits at Dimboola station, Victoria during a crew change on 3/23/22.

2. Pacific National units BL27 and BL33 are stabled in Murtoa, Victoria on 3/23/22.

3. One Rail empty ore train, 1903S to Wirrida waits at Mambray Creek with GWU012 and GWU013 on 3/29/22.

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Last one for this series.

Pacific National service 3XM4 from Port Augusta to Melbourne passes through Mambray Creek with NR62, AN1 and AN3 on 3/29/22.

Enjoy.

Justin

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Thanks for sharing those great views.
 

Stanley Jackowski
Valrico, FL

What is the horsepower of the newer locomotives?

 

Thank you for these. Curious, what is the flat car with tanks on it and the passenger car in several trains. Seems consistent at times for specific trains.

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

tomstp Wrote:
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> What is the horsepower of the newer locomotives?
>
>
The GWA and GWB class locomotives are 4500hp gross / 4300hp for traction. They are model GT46C-ACe/GT46C-ACe Gen-II and are based off the SD70ACe. The GWA's were introduced in 2012 and the GWB's entered service in 2019.

The GWU's are UGL/ GE model C44ACi and produce 4400hp for traction. They were introduced in 2012.

The FQ's and V544 are a lot older design and were built in 2002/2003. They are a GT46C and are very similar to a late model SD60 internally and produce 3850hp for traction.

Justin  

mcdeo Wrote:
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> Thank you for these. Curious, what is the flat car
> with tanks on it and the passenger car in several
> trains. Seems consistent at times for specific
> trains.

No worries.

The flat car with the 20ft ISO tanks is for inline re-fuelling so we don't have to stop for fuel on the Adelaide to Darwin run or on the ore trains where we would not make the return run without stopping for fuel in remote areas.

They passenger car is a crew van for the resting crews. One crew will work for 8 hours while the other crew rests then we swap and the resting crew will then work for 8 hours. We repeat this cycle for a maximum of 54 hours which is more than enough time for us to do the 3000km (1860 mile) run from Adelaide to Darwin. We then get off the train in Darwin, have a minimum of 12 hours off in a hotel then do the same relay cycle coming home. You are gone for 5-6 days on one of these jobs but get 62 hours off when you get home. You are also paid to rest on the train while not driving.

We use this working mainly so we don't need to have crews based in remote desert areas. It is also handy for the ore trains and grain train into Victoria. The latter means you only need two sets of crews for the run instead of 4-5.

Justin

Wow, thank you Justin. Makes sense on how to run a railroad in remote areas. Hopefully the passenger cars are comfortable. I'm thinking maybe like a converted 10-6 or something with suites as rooms. 

When you get a chance, maybe share some more on the 'fuel tender'. I'm guessing the 20' containers could just get swapped out as an option. 

Pretty neat stuff on how other areas operate for sure. 

Mike ONeill
Parker, CO

The crew vans are made up of different carriages and railcars.

In the One Rail Australia fleet there is 13 crew vans. All crew vans had their original interiors removed and a new special purpose built setup installed. They have a kitchen and lounge area with a TV plus DVD/ Blueray player, shower, toilet and five bedrooms. There is also a store room which carries spare hoses and other bits.

The FDDY class are the former Freightlink crew vans and were converted from former 100 class trailers and 250 class DMU 'Bluebird' railcars.
The ADFY class were converted from a mixture of former 'The Overland' carriages. There was sleeping, sit up plus one lounge carriage.
ECA98 was converted from a former Commonwealth Railways sleeping carriage.
ADCY279 was converted from an old Commonwealth Railways relay brake van.

ORA's inline fuel wagons were taken from the fleet of 63ft AQQY container wagons. Some are still coded AQQY while others were fitted with ECP brakes and had the underframe strengthened for use on ore trains. These were coded AQFY. The fuel is pumped automatically into the locomotives when the fuel reaches a set level in their fuel tanks. The 20ft ISO containers are semi-permantly mounted on the flatcars and a normal fuel fitting the same of the locomotives is mounted to the side sill of the flatcar. These flatcars have been used solely in this service for the last 10 years due to the permanent setup on the flatcar.

The photos are of an AQFY inline fuel wagon and a ADFY crew van.

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