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June 2021 TM

Rolling stock: The Australian Diesel Multiple Unit Fleets

Zig Zag Ascending The 35 Car Indian Pacific in Sydney Railcars of the Pichi Richi Railway – Part 2 Published monthly by the Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division)

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June 2021

June 2021 • $12.00 TM

Volume 59, Number 6 Rolling stock: The Australian Diesel Multiple Unit Fleets

Zig Zag Ascending The 35 Car Indian Pacific in Sydney Railcars of the Pichi Richi Railway – Part 2

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Published monthly by the Australian Railway Historical Society (NSW Division)

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Features The 35-car Indian Pacific in Sydney 40 Just as cruise ships have become progressively larger over the years, so has our most famous and enduring rail cruise train, the Indian Pacific.

Wednesday 21 April saw the trial operation of a 35-car consist. NR 26 and NR 25 hauled the mammoth train, which was timetabled to arrive in Clyde Up yard at 11.25 am. With the Indian Pacific now so lengthy it would require three platforms at Sydney’s Central station, some serious shunting was going to be required. John Beckhaus explains how it was done.

Regulars Platform 2021 Rail industry Railway people News Rolling stock news and contracts – The Australian Diesel Multiple Unit Fleets – Contracts and deliveries Preservation and Tourist – Railcars of the Pichi Richi Railway: Part 2 – Zig Zag Ascending Readers Write

John Browning, David Campbell, Edmund Carew, Frank Cherry, Peter Ferguson, Bob Gibson, Alistaire Harris, Peter Hower, John Hoyle, Hugh Hyland, Philip Jeeves, Caleb Jenkins, Vaughn Moore, Ian Stewart, Chris Walters.

ABC – Great Southern WA, ACT Government, ACT Minster for Transport – Chris Steel MLA, The Age, Arc Infrastructure, Australasian Railway Association, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Bathurst City Life, Catherine King MP – Federal Member for Ballarat & Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, CBH Group, Cooma and Monaro Progress Association, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport – The Hon. Michael McCormack MP, Fremantle Gazette, Herald Sun, Keolis Downer, METRONET, Office of the Hon Daniel Andrews MP – Premier of Victoria, Parliament of Australia, Public Transport Authority of Western Australia, Public Transport Users Association of Canberra, Prime 7 News Central West, South Australian Premier – Hon. Steven Marshall, Sydney Morning Herald, Townsville Bulletin, Transperth, Transport for NSW, Western Advocate, Western Australian Police Force. www.7news.com.au www.inlandrail.artc.com.au www.farmweekly.com.au www.infrastructuremagazine.com.au www.miragenews.com www.perthnow.com.au www.transport.act.gov.au

Cover: Two Shades of Orange on the Port River. One Rail Australia (formerly GWA) MKA/EMD streamliner CLF6 and fellow MKA/EMD loco ALF24 bring loaded Bowmans grain train 4152 across the Port River, Adelaide, on Wednesday 20 January. John Kirk Opposite: Aurizon’s 5020 class UGL/GEs are quiet machines.

This being the case, bellbirds compete with the distant rumble of heavy mine machinery to provide a backing track as 5023 leads empty coal hoppers through the gum trees near the New England Highway overpass on the Mt Arthur branch on Wednesay 21 April.

A sister loco pushes out of sight at rear. Malcolm Holdsworth Inside back cover: On Thursday 25 March EDI/EMD unit TT102, with TT107 assisting at the rear, works empty stone train 1297N, Enfield to Peppertree Loop, on the deviation between Picton and Tahmoor. Steve Munro Outside back cover: Pacific National EDI/EMD locomotive PN009 Rob Weston approaches Yandina on 82P9 intermodal freight to Townsville, and is about to be put in the loop to make way for the late running Q992 Tilt Train from Rockhampton. Anthony Evans

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Platform 2021 Australia’s ongoing gauge follies

Wallace Shields

l has proposed that almost all of the Incredibly, however, the ARTC

l have a standard gauge t was originally intended that NSW should railway for steam locomotives, and indeed this did happen in 1855.

216 km of track between the Queensland and NSW Border to Gowrie However, this occurred after Francis Shields convinced NSW that it will be dual gauge. should adopt a broad gauge. This was agreed to by Victoria, whose Can you believe this? Dual gauge is not only much more expensive to first steam railway opened in 1854. Then James Wallace persuaded NSW construct than standard gauge, but also costs more to maintain. to go back to standard gauge.

This section of track is to have five crossing loops. Dual gauge points Not content with either of these two gauges, Queensland settled in are expensive to install and maintain. the 1860s on a narrow gauge for its railways.

There is a solution, and a very simple one at that – build the entire Tasmania at one stage had both a narrow and broad gauge, but track as standard gauge, and convert the 175 km or so of track from by 1888 had a uniform narrow gauge. Perhaps this would have been Thallon where the Border to Gowrie track meets the QR South Western a good choice for Australia. Indeed, this was the decision of the New line near Kurumbul.

Zealand Government in the 1870s. In 1870, New Zealand had three Would this be hard to do? Not really, and it was done in the late different gauges – broad in Canterbury, l standard in Southland, and 1960s between Esperance and Kalgoorlie – about 390 km in a cost effective narrow in Auckland. By 1876, each of these railways, and all new ones, manner about the time when Kalgoorlie to Northam was converted to were on a uniform narrow gauge. standard gauge. Leanore to Kalgoorlie was also converted from narrow Britain, Canada and the United States all made conclusive steps gauge to standard gauge. to have their mainlines converted to a uniform standard gauge So why is the ARTC going for dual gauge in the Border to Gowrie l l l entered federation in 1901 with three by 1890. However, Australia project ? This seems to go back to at least 2015, when the business case l l l l different railway gauges and a weak federal structure as far noted it. las railways l the l were concerned. Here, the states retained too much control, and At the very least, as part of the review of Border to Gowrie project Commonwealths role was limited. following the Environmental Impact The Commonwealth did, Statement on public exhibition however, settle on standard gauge to early May 2021, the option of Dalby Inland Rail l for its promised railway between standard gauge from the Border l Border to Gowrie Jondaryan Port Augusta and Kalgoorlie – even l to near Gowrie should be seriously Greenfield l Brownfield though it met a broad gauge railway considered.

Gowrie Jct Crossing loop l l at one end and a narrow gauge Existing railways Toowoomba railway at the other end. This was Victoria’s gauge follies Railways closed or OOU Broxburn Loop l Major Roads delivered in 1917.

Victoria, whose mainlines were all A Royal Commission followed and broad gauge up to 1962, is slowly l Millmerran l in 1921 it recommended a uniform moving to more standard gauge Yandilla Loop standard gauge for all of Australia’s for its freight lines. After the MARS railways. This led to two projects, project in 1995, with three intrastate Kooroongarra Loop l Kyogle – South Brisbane by 1930 and lines, the next project was from near l l Warwick Seymour to Albury by Port Pirie to Port Augusta by 1937. the ARTC, Inglewood Loop Although both standard gauge along with a branchl line from Benalla Goondiwindi l l projects were good ones, progress via Yarrawonga to Oaklands in NSW. Inglewood l l since 1921 on gauge standardisation As noted by David Hardy in his Yelarbon l has been slow. This is despite the recent article for the Rail Futures l Stanthorpe 1945 inquiry and report of Sir Harold Institute newsletter “NewsPost” , Clapp, the Wentworth report of “More recently l we have seen the l report. l 1956, and itsl companion ALP Parliamentary Committee Mildura/Yelta line and its branch from Ouyen to Murrayville converted l Three major gauge standardisation projects followed, including Perth to standard gauge in 2018 as part of an ambitious plan to standardise to Kalgoorlie, with dual gauge from Perth to Northam, then standard the entire Victorian Murray Basin rail network which ultimately failed gauge to Kalgoorlie in the late 1960s. The narrow gauge lines from due to inadequate scoping, deficiencies in costing and poor execution of Esperance to Kalgoorlie, and Leonora to Kalgoorlie were also converted project management… to standard gauge.

“This current situation is quite unsustainable. Victorian rail freight has It took until 1995, as a federal initiative with Melbourne Adelaide rail high costs and poor performance as a consequence of this fragmented standardisation (MARS) that all mainland state capital cities were finally system…” connected by standard gauge. This was at the expense of lines to Mt The rail freight network logically should become entirely standard Gambier being isolated by rail. In Victoria, Portland to Maroona and two gauge with seamless ability to use locomotives and rolling stock from other nearby lines were changed in 1995 from broad to standard gauge. anywhere in Australia. This was amply demonstrated during 2020 with This was an initiative of the Victorian Government. the rail export of grain from Western Victoria and South Australia to The next move of the Australian Government was in 1997, after drought ravaged areas of NSW in standard gauge trains comprising breakup and part privatisation of Australian National, with the formation wagons and locomotives sourced from all parts of the nation. Moreover, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC). It then assisted the these standard gauge grain trains were able to reach NSW via both Government of South Australia and the Northern Territory to construct Albury and South Australia. the Alice Springs to Darwin railway – in standard gauge.

As Mark Twain observed, when changing trains at Albury in 1885 because of the different track gauges used in New South Wales and The Inland Rail dual gauge folly Victoria; “The strangest thing, the unaccountable marvel that Australia The Australian Government is now paying the ARTC good money to can show, namely the break of gauge at Albury. Think of the paralysis of construct an inland railway linking Melbourne and Brisbane through intellect that gave that idea birth”.

Parkes by a mixture of new construction and upgrading old tracks. You Unfortunately, unless some sense prevails in both South Western would be excused for thinking that this is going to be a standard gauge Queensland and in Victoria, it can only appear that the paralysis of intellect railway, except possibly from Brisbane to near Toowoomba. in railway planning continues to this day in Australia.

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Rail industry CBH Group opens discussions on future above-rail operations THE CBH Group (CBH) has commenced a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for its above-rail operations. (The CBH Group is Australia’s largest co-operative and a leader in the Australian grain industry, with operations extending along the value chain from fertiliser to grain storage, handling, transport, marketing and processing. It is owned and controlled by approximately 3,700 Western Australian grain-growing businesses.)

The current 10-year agreement with incumbent rail operator Watco Australia will expire on 30 April 2022.

Since CBH invested in its own rail fleet in 2011, it has managed to halt inflationary increases in freight costs and hold freight rates flat.

In the current agreement, Watco has been responsible for the rail logistics planning services including train planning and scheduling, tracking, maintenance, inventory control and crew management.

In commencing the process for a new contract, a number of rail companies, including Watco, have been invited to submit a proposal for the operation, service and maintenance of CBH’s above-rail operations.

CBH wholly owns a rail fleet consisting of 28 locomotives and 574 wagons that generally transport grain from upcountry sites to three of four port terminals - Geraldton, Kwinana, Albany and Esperance.

Between 2016 and 2020, an average 2884 trains have travelled to all CBH ports and terminals annually, delivering on average 7.6 million tonnes of grain per year. Rail transport plays a vital part in CBH’s ability to get tonnes to port efficiently with about 60 per cent of tonnes transported by rail to port.

It is anticipated the RFP process will be completed in the second half of 2021, with the new contract to take effect on 1 May 2022.

ST Engineering enters Australian rail market Global technology, defence and engineering group ST Engineering (Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd) announced on Friday 16 April that it has secured a contract to provide 96 sets of Platform Screen Doors (PSD) for all four new underground stations – Boggo Road, Woolloongabba, Albert Street and Roma Street on Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project.

The contract marks the Group’s first foray into the Australian rail market, and will be added to its track record of over 100 rail electronics solutions that have been deployed in over 48 cities worldwide.

JUNE 2021

Besides serving as a safety barrier between the underground station platforms and the train track on the Cross River Rail, the PSD also improves temperature control within the stations by preventing cool air leakage from air-conditioning systems to the underground tunnels, improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs.

Cross River Rail is a new 10.2 kilometre rail line that includes 5.9 kilometres of twin tunnels under the Brisbane River and Brisbane Central Business District.

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Rail industry NSW Infrastructure does include rail

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he Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) Infrastructure Summit organised

by Informa connect (www.informa.com.au) was held on 29 April, both in person and on line. The participation in person, at about 180 participants, was accompanied by a similar number on line. Delegates had the facility to ask questions via a website, and for people to vote on each question.

After a welcome by SMH editor Lisa Davies, the first speaker was NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian who outlined how the NSW Government now had a $107 billion pipeline of projects. These ranged from complex multibillion metro and motorway projects in Sydney down to more than 700 projects each under $10 million. Turning to regional development, the Premier said if we are serious about this, it will need Faster Rail (with trains moving from 150 to 200 km/h on upgraded track with some straightening of track) and Fast Rail (trains 200 to 250 km/h on new dedicated track).

The outcomes, as noted by the SMH the next day, included Sydney to Newcastle by rail in an hour rather than two and a half hours, and 25 minutes taken off a Sydney to Wollongong train trip. Plus 25 minutes less time between Sydney and Gosford and moving between Sydney and Goulburn in under an hour. Then, a SMH letter writer noted “Only a politician or a bureaucrat could decide that a “faster” train is slower than a “fast” train.

The Premier was followed by the CEO of Infrastructure NSW, Simon Draper. He noted that the annual average outlay on infrastructure had much increased from $14.4 billion in the four years from 2012-13. He also mentioned Australian Government projects being built “in our backyard” including the new Western Sydney Airport and Inland Rail (plus Snowy 2.0).

A panel then addressed the work done by Health Infrastructure NSW and School Infrastructure NSW; each agency with an annual budget of about $2.5 billion. Issues include population growth with this likely to increase when immigration restrictions due to COVID are lifted.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, gave an interesting presentation, with city’s Sustainable Sydney 2030 working to “high public amenity” with thousands of trees planted, more parks, and proposals to restrict traffic on Park Street, Oxford Street, College Road and Botany Road. Ms Moore noted the benefits of getting Light Rail into George Street (and how it helped get a new treated water main for watering the plants). When asked where she stood on a congestion tax for Sydney, her reply was now that we have better public transport, such a tax should be looked at after the city is “up and moving again.”

After a panel examined financing of infrastructure, the Summit heard

Philip Laird

from the ACT Major Projects chief, Duncan Edgehill. His message included that Canberra is a great place to live, work, and to bid for major infrastructure projects. These include stage 2A and 2B light rail (Civic to Woden - where stage 1 from Civic to Gungahlin completed in 2019 is working well – with more to follow, and now attracting bipartisan support). Plus a new Canberra Hospital (the only one with tertiary capability between Sydney and Melbourne), a new Institute of Technology at Woden; and, reconstruction of the old Canberra Theatre.

In his speech, Mr Edgehill said he was heartened by the comments of the NSW Premier comments on rail. When asked if he would like a better train service, as noted by the SMH, he noted the slow transport options between the nation’s capital and its largest city as a ‘‘national disgrace’’. He also said if a better railway had been built 30 or 40 years ago, it would have been very cost effective (as also would have Speedrail been if built about 20 years ago).

A panel then followed with Mick Cush of Inland Rail, Simon Hickey the CEO of Western Sydney airport (“we will never have fast rail” and our new airport will have a catchment of three million persons and without a curfew “will be more productive” than the present airport) and Joe Barr, CEO of John Holland (things are not as bad as they were 12 months ago when the construction industry was “on the brink of collapse”).

When asked why the Border to Gowrie section of inland rail was going to be costly dual gauge rather than standard gauge, Mr Cush said this was a project to meet Queensland needs as well as national needs.

A plug for electric vehicles to have not only upfront incentives (less taxes) and also no distance based road user charges was given by Mr Dom Taylor, ANZ General Manager of Uber. Mr John Davies, CEO of the Australian Constructors Association commended the UK Government’s “Construction Playbook” and proposed one for Australia.

The late afternoon featured two panel sessions, with Marion Terrill from the Grattan Institute featuring in both, and noting that with about 19,000 persons commuting from Wollongong to Sydney for work, and only 3200 by rail, there was scope for a better train service.

The Mayor of Wagga Wagga, Mr Greg Conkey OAM, when asked if his city would like a better train to each of Melbourne of Sydney, said that he definitely would; also the XPTs are very old, rarely on time, and take over six hours from his city to Sydney. This is when you can drive it in four and a half hours. As he asked “Can we make the train a bit faster than the cars?”

Many people will now be looking to the NSW Premier and her Government to outline their plans for Faster Rail and Fast Rail.

Meantime, go to https://www.nsw.gov.au/a-fast-rail-future-for-nsw for information including a short to medium-term focus that will be on upgrades and optimisation of existing rail routes and new fleet, with services of at least 200 km/h with medium to long-term focus on dedicated high-speed rail with new lines and routes and possible speeds of over 250 km/h.

Dr Philip Laird OAM of the University of Wollongong is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, the inaugural national chairman of the Railway Technical Society of Australasia and a member of the Rail Futures Institute.

NSW TrainLink SP33 Up Canberra Xplorer service approaches Gorman Road Crossing on Goulburn’s northern outskirts on Tuesday 22 September 2020. Though the Xplorer railcars provide a comfortable journey between Canberra and Sydney, speed limitations due to track conditions make the trip over an hour longer than the equivalent journey by road. Scott Mitchell

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Rail industry Melbourne Intermodal funding headlines rail announcements in 2021-22 Federal Budget A $2 billion initial investment in a new Melbourne Intermodal Terminal was among a host of range of funding commitments for key projects across the country in the Federal Budget announced on Tuesday 11 May. The funding will help provide a crucial connection for the Inland Rail project, facilitating the double stacking of containers on the route.

Passenger rail projects were also recognised in the Budget, with additional funding for WA’s METRONET, Adelaide’s SA’s Gawler Rail Line Electrification, Stage 2A of the Canberra Light Rail and stage 3 of Queensland’s Gold Coast Light Rail.

Highlights: New funding commitments in 2021-22 Intermodal facilities and freight rail • $2 billion for initial investment in a new Melbourne Intermodal Terminal, VIC • $61.8 million for Melbourne Intermodal Terminal planning and development, VIC • $16.5 million to establish the National Freight Data Hub to enhance the collection and access to freight data across all modes, including rail.

• $300,000 for proposed Tennant Creek Multimodal Facility and Rail Terminal development study, NT

Rail upgrades • $347.5 million for the METRONET Hamilton Street-Wharf Street grade separations and elevation of associated stations, including Queens Park and Cannington stations. Enhanced METRONET Byford Rail Extension, with a new grade separated rail crossing at Armadale Road and an elevated station at Armadale, WA • $178.1 million for the Gold Coast Rail Line Capacity Improvement preconstruction (Kuraby to Beenleigh), QLD • $132.5 million for the Canberra Light Rail - Stage 2A,ACT • $126.6 million for Gold Coast Light Rail - Stage 3, QLD • $92.8 million for commuter car park upgrades including Berwick, Frankston and Ringwood stations, VIC • $60 million for the Gawler Rail Line Electrification, SA • $24 million for the Tasmanian Freight Rail Revitalisation - Tranche 3 - Port of Burnie Shiploader Upgrade, TAS • $3.1 million for the Goodwood and Torrens Rail Junctions Project, SA Signalling • $31.5 million towards the METRONET High-Capacity Signalling project, WA Planning and business cases • $5 million for the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass planning study, SA • $2 million for the Kalgoorlie Rail Realignment Business Case, WA

Fewer Australians using public transport after COVID-19 According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday 14 April, one in seven Australians (14 per cent) reported using public transport in March 2021, compared with nearly one in four (23 per cent) who reported regular use before COVID-19 restrictions began in March 2020.

ABS Head of Household Surveys, Lisa Scanlon, said the latest Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey conducted from 12 – 21 March 2021, showed that public transport use had increased compared with 9 per cent reporting

regular use six months ago in September 2020, but normal patterns of usage had not returned for everyone. “Of the people who reported regularly using public transport before COVID-19 restrictions began, around one in six (18 per cent) reported they had not used public transport since March 2020.

“After the COVID-19 pandemic, three in five people (61 per cent) expect their public transport use will remain the same, while 13 per cent expect their use to increase and 7 per cent expect it will decrease,” Ms Scanlon said.

The first C44ACi QL Class locomotive built for QUBE, for use in steel traffic, stands in the yard at UGL Broadmeadow on 12 May. Although fully painted, the locomotive had no lettering, nor were the builder’s plates yet fitted.

QL 003 and QL 004 were in the yard behind QL 001.

QUBE has signed a 10-year contract with Port Kemblabased Bluescope to haul steel products on the east coast from early 2022, and is spending around $73 million on locomotives and to lease other equipment for the contract. Peter Clark

JUNE 2021

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Rail industry New device provides more reliable signalling on Arc network Signal failures caused by lightning strikes are set to be a thing of the past, thanks to the roll-out of a new lightning protection device across Arc’s Western Australian network.

(Arc Infrastructure is WA’s major rail access provider operating approximately 5,500 kilometres of standard, narrow and dual gauge rail infrastructure in the southern half of the state.)

The device – called a ‘TC-RT Ring Ten Transient Clamp’ – works by creating a bypass around signalling equipment when a lightning strike occurs. By April it had already been rolled out across 85 per cent of the network, leading to a significant decrease in lightning-related signal failure.

The installation of the device on level crossings has resulted in less disruption to trains, less interruption to planned maintenance and a reduction in employee time spent attending to and repairing signal failures.

The device protects the Westrak track circuits, used to detect the presence of trains on the network, and control signalling and level crossing equipment, typically in remote areas where there are level crossings and self-restoring points. Protection of these circuits from lightning prevents unnecessary failures and ensures trains can run more reliably in stormy weather.

On Wednesday 7 April ARC’s Regional Signalling Specialist Andrew Thompson praised the company’s Mid West team who initiated the project and have helped significantly improve the reliability of the network.

“The idea was initiated in Narngulu (located approximately 13 kilometres east of Geraldton) by the Signal Maintenance team to help prevent unnecessary failures and associated disruption to trains and customers. This was recognised by the continuous improvement team and after proof of concept, was rolled out across the network.

“Due to the success of the lightning protection on level crossings, we are now aiming to protect all track circuits and reduce lightning related failures by 95 per cent.

“So far this year we have seen many summer lightning storms come through our network and to date, we have only had one lightning-related signal failure, on a level crossing that does not yet have the protective device installed,” Mr Thompson said.

Arc commenced installing the lightning protection devices in 2017 and by early-April has installed 621 of them. The roll-out was scheduled to be completed across the network by the end of April.

Railway people Remembering Greg O’Brien Remembering Gregory James “Greg” O’Brien, born August 2, 1949, passed away April 1 2021, aged 71 years.

Married to Lynette for 45 years, Greg was also affectionately known as GOB, Gobby, or Gorbi by his friends. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.

Greg’s sudden passing came as a shock to us all. He was one of those blokes who looked invincible: “hail fellow, well met”, with a big, friendly, enthusiastic smile and a firm handshake.

Greg was well-known in South Australian and Victorian railfan circles though he popped up from time to time in NSW and other places for holidays and special rail events.

He was known as “Mr Eyre Peninsula” in SA. GOB was passionate about the isolated narrow gauge railway network and knew every photo location on the network. If you were lucky enough to meet him trackside as we did for the last train to Wudinna in 2019, he was only too

happy to show you his “secret” spots! If you were planning an EP trip, then Greg was one of the “go-to” people for information.

Greg was one of nature’s (and the railfan fraternity’s) really good blokes! He was always pleased to see you and chat – even when the train was approaching. He was one of those people that everybody liked! His local Adelaide mates will miss the times when they wandered up to Hope Valley when Greg was in town for a catchup coffee to solve the world’s problems.

Greg was a generous person who gave unwavering support to many in our hobby. His computer skills will be sorely missed by his family and many older IT-challenged friends.

He has been taken way too soon and will be remembered with great fondness.

RIP Greg, you are missed by all of us! Condolences to all of Greg’s family and friends.

John Kirk

Warren Truss reappointed chair of Australian Rail Track Corporation The federal government has reappointed former Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss as Chair of the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

On Wednesday 21 April Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said that Mr Truss’s wealth of knowledge in governance, freight and regional Australia continues to make him a valuable asset to the ARTC Board.

“As a former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Truss has been a driving force in the delivery of significant Australian Government infrastructure investments, including the early funding for Inland Rail,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. “In his role as Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Mr Truss had a vision for regional rail and an

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acute understanding of the needs of regional communities, it is this vision and leadership that he brings to his role with the ARTC”.

Leader of the National Party from 2007 to 2016, Mr Truss was first appointed ARTC Chair in April 2018 (see June 2018 RD, page 6). He was Minister for Transport and Regional Services in the Howard government from July 2005 to June 2006, and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development from September 2013 to his retirement from parliament in February 2016.

Warren Truss

RAILWAY DIGEST

Australian Capital Territory ACT Transport Recovery Plan launched ACT Minister for Transport Chris Steel MLA launched the ACT Transport Recovery Plan on Thursday 29 April.

The plan has been developed to drive the ACT Government’s strategy to encourage Canberrans back on board buses and light rail. It focuses on lessons learnt during the pandemic and is designed to set up for a future where more people choose public transport.

The ACT Transport Recovery Plan has been designed around four objectives with a focus on building a stronger and better transport system in the wake of COVID-19, with public transport and active travel at its centre.

The plan has four key objectives: 1. Restoring community confidence in public transport as a safe and healthy way to move around Canberra.

2. Driving sustainable public transport usage patterns which reflect different ways of working and rhythms of life in the ‘new normal’.

3. Returning patronage to pre-COVID levels by the end of 2021 if expert health advice permits and continue growing patronage in the years ahead.

4. Preparing Canberra’s public transport services to play a key role in mitigating traffic disruption associated with upcoming delivery of major ACT Government infrastructure projects in 2022 and beyond.

It also supports a transition to a zero-emission bus network by 2040.

The plan identifies six focus areas: Focus area 1: Hygiene and safety The establishment of hygiene regimes including: • increased cleaning of public transport stops and vehicles, • encouraging the use of rear bus doors for entry and exit where possible, • encouraging physical distancing on buses and light rail; and • closing front bus seats.

Focus area 2: Fares and ticketing The pandemic has sparked a renewed focus on cashless and contactless ticketing options for public transport. Transport Canberra temporarily phased out cash fares during 2020 and this has proved to be a positive shift both for passengers and network efficiency.

From 2021 Transport Canberra will move towards permanently adopting cashless ticketing across both the bus network and light rail.

At the same time the ACT Government is in the process of procuring

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a Next Generation ticketing system to replace MyWay from 2023.

This system will allow contactless payment, provide users with real time information on the timing and availability of services and allow Transport Canberra to make better data-driven decisions on network design.

Focus area 3: Network design and capacity Top priorities for these upgrades will include improving the frequency of services outside of peak times – including on weekends – and strengthening services to Canberra’s growing new regions and suburbs.

In the longer term, building light rail to Woden will help create a fast and reliable transport spine that better connects some of Canberra’s major town centres.

In a survey conducted in March 2021, around a third of Canberra light rail passengers said they had never used public transport before travelling on the Stage 1 light rail route between the Canberra CBD and Gungahlin. This demonstrates that light rail can be a catalyst for more people choosing public transport.

Focus area 4: Integrated transport The ACT Government is embracing innovation and encouraging new forms of micro-mobility so that people can easily combine a trip by bus or light rail with other convenient modes of travel.

Focus area 5: Passenger experience Passengers want public transport to be convenient, reliable, frequent, comfortable and safe.

The current and future investments in network upgrades will help ensure bus and light rail services are accessible when and where Canberrans want to travel. Ongoing focus on deep cleaning and hygiene etiquette across Transport Canberra will also help ensure Canberrans can feel safe onboard services.

Focus area 6: Listening and communicating Input and feedback from Canberrans will be key to shaping the design and delivery of recovery initiatives and the ACT Government’s broader investments to drive public transport growth.

The ACT Transport Recovery Plan can be downloaded at: https://www.transport.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/1749199/ Transport-Recovery-Plan-Combined-30-Apr.pdf.

ACT government releases updated plans for Stage 2A of light rail network The ACT government is stepping up the pace of Stage 2A of the Canberra light rail network with updated delivery plans released and the project’s technical advisers announced on Wednesday 28 April.

The updated delivery schedule will see the first early works commence for light rail before the end of 2021, with planning and works approvals also planned to be lodged around October this year.

Major construction works to raise London Circuit will start in 2022, followed by construction of the first 1.7 kilometres of the light rail line to Commonwealth Park.

At the same time, the ACT Government is continuing with the delivery of the new public transport interchange and light rail station at Woden, with construction works set to commence before the end of 2021 (see May 2021 RD, page 5). Planning and design for the rest of the line to Woden will continue while these construction works are underway.

The ACT Government also announced that AECOM has been selected to facilitate the design and planning approvals for the entirety

JUNE 2021

of Stage 2, an important project milestone that will kick up the pace of work over the next six months.

The ACT Government has developed a new virtual tour of the upcoming works to give Canberrans an understanding of what this project will deliver. The new flythrough shows further detail on the designs that the Government will be taking forward into Commonwealth and Territory planning approvals later in the year.

It also shows three new traffic light intersections with London Circuit at West Row, University Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, which will prioritise light rail vehicles and improve accessibility for pedestrians.

It can be viewed at: https://vimeo.com/538916903/3011d904f1 The updated delivery timeline for key aspects of Stage 2 is available at: yoursay.act.gov.au/light-rail-to-woden The Stage 2A light rail extension from the Canberra CBD to Commonwealth Park is jointly funded by the ACT and the Australian governments. The project is part of the ACT Government’s $14 billion Infrastructure Plan.

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News

New South Wales NSW Government withdraws Shenhua mining lease near Gunnedah, but Tahmoor and Mangoola granted mining extensions

On 21 April the NSW Government announced that it had reached a $100 million agreement with Shenhua Energy Company Limited in which Shenhua will withdraw its mining lease application and surrender its development consent for the company’s Watermark coal project near Gunnedah. The mine’s proposed output of around 10 million tonnes a year for 30 years would have been railed to Newcastle. A rail spur was to be constructed between Breeza and Watermark crossing loops on the Moree line to a balloon loop at the mine rail loader, south of the main line. Shenhua planned to employ around 400 people at the mine.

Shenhua initially paid $300 million for an exploration license across 20,000 hectares in the Gunnedah basin in 2008. The mine proposal had generated significant opposition from farmers in the Liverpool Plains area, regarded as one of Australia’s premier agricultural locations.

NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro, said, “The NSW Government is committed to making NSW the number one investment destination for mining in Australia, but we need to find a balance, and this decision will deliver certainty to farmers and the Liverpool Plains community, while guaranteeing protection to parcels of land with high value biodiversity.”

NSW Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, said the cancellation of the project will mean that no open cut coal mining can occur in the area covered by the Shenhua lease. He said the Government remained committed to supporting common sense, responsible development of the state’s high-quality coal resources, however there was a need to protect prime agricultural land. The agreement means that water that would have been taken by the mine can continue to be used for agriculture and other purposes.

NSW Co-ordinator for the Lock the Gate Alliance Georgina Woods said a decision to end the shadow of a coal mine hanging over the national food bowl on the Liverpool Plains would be very welcome.

However, Whitehaven Coal is working towards developing an extension to its Vickery mine, 25 kilometres north west of Gunnedah. The extension was approved by the NSW Independent Planning Commission in August 2020. The proposal includes a branch line from the Moree line near Emerald Hill crossing loop to serve the mine which currently relies on road transport to the Gunnedah rail coal loader.

In better news for rail operators engaged in coal haulage the New South Wales Government has approved SIMEC Mining’s expansion plan for the Tahmoor coal mine, located between Picton and Mittagong, which will see 33 million tonnes mined over an additional 10-year mine life. The Tahmoor coal mine is operated by SIMEC subsidiary Tahmoor Coal. Following an assessment from the state Department of Planning, Industry & Environment, as well as the Independent Planning Commission, the mine can now take advantage of 12 new longwall panels to the south of its current operations. Tahmoor coal is railed to Port Kembla for export and for use in the Bluescope steel works.

The New South Wales Government has also given Glencore approval to develop a new open cut mining area at the Mangoola open cut coal mine in the Hunter Valley. Mangoola is operated by Glencore Coal subsidiary Mangoola Coal Operations. The New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has approved an additional 52-million tonnes of run-of-mine coal to be extracted from the site over eight years. Mangoola’s operations are now expected to close in December 2030, adding 13-months to the existing development consent.

The Mangoola coal mine produces thermal coal, delivering more than 10 million tonnes of saleable product in 2019. Mangoola mine is served by a balloon loop branching from the Muswellbrook - Gulgong line at the western end of Mangoola crossing loop, 17 kilometres west of Muswellbrook.

At Parkes on Saturday 1 May, the GrainCorp silos cast a shadow on the yard as Clyde/EMD units 8237 and 8216 arrive with a Down intermodal freight service, while another 82 heads an Up loaded grain train and Goodwin/Alco unit 48123 heads an empty rake of grain hoppers. John Scott

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News

New South Wales

The section of the Main Northern Line between Whittingham and Waratah is like a continuous coal conveyor on steel wheels. On Monday 12 April, UGL/GE unit XRN 016 and two classmates roll their loaded train up to Lochinvar station as another perfect Hunter Valley day comes to an end. Malcolm Holdsworth

Austar mine closure effectively “closes” South Maitland Railway beyond East Greta Junction workshops A decision by Yancoal, the owners of the Austar coal mine at Pelton, near Cessnock, to permanently close the mine from 26 February means that the privately-owned South Maitland Railway (SMR) is now “closed” as no other rail traffic was using the historic railway, other than the short distance from the ARTC main line at Maitland to East Greta Junction Workshops. The mine had been placed in “care and maintenance” on 31 March 2020 after concerns over the safety and economic viability of the mine. At that time 137 people were employed on the site, this was reduced to 43 after closure and some of these employees may be involved in mine rehabilitation which could last up to 10 years. The final coal train services (to Kooragang Island, Newcastle) were operated by Pacific National using double EL Class locomotives leased from what was then CFCLA (now Rail First Asset Management). The last Austar mine loaded train (AS 280) was powered by EL Class units 55 and 57 on 23 March 2020 (see back cover, May 2020 RD). The East Greta Junction workshops remain in use with rail rolling stock maintainer Gemco and track maintenance company Swietelsky using the premises.

The first section of what became the South Maitland Railway was opened in 1893 from near (West) Maitland to serve the East Greta Coal Mining Company’s colliery. The line was gradually extended south to serve numerous coal mines. The South Maitland coal fields grew to be one of the largest coal mining areas in Australia by the early 1900s. In recognition of the traffic levels the line was duplicated in sections from 1903, the double track reaching Cessnock in 1912. Passenger services

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were provided from 1902 to 1972. An amalgamation of the East Greta Coal Mining Company and the Hebburn Coal Mining Company, the South Maitland Railway company was formed in 1918. Beyer Peacock of Manchester built the well-known 10 Class 2-8-2T locomotives for the SMR between 1911 and 1925. They eventually became the sole motive power on the railway until 1983 when State Rail Authority 47 and 48 class diesel locomotives took over. After track upgrading Pacific National commenced operating EL class locomotives in 2011.

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11

News Work progresses on Bathurst station upgrade A $790,000 program of improvements to Bathurst railway station is progressing with work on the roof and the building’s iconic chimneys commencing in April.

(Bathurst is located on the NSW Main Western line 228.7 kilometres from Sydney Central station.)

In addition to the removal and replacement of six chimneys, the works being undertaken also include repairs and restoration of the exterior sandstone on the main station building using sandstone sourced from the NSW Southern Highlands.

“Bathurst station is a much-loved local landmark with a rich history and design that is unique to early railway architecture,” said NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole. “It’s one of the city’s finest buildings, so it’s great to see it being restored so many more generations to come can share its history”.

The works are part of the Sydney Trains Major Periodical Maintenance Program and Annual Works Program. Independent heritage experts have been engaged to advise on the project.

The Bathurst station upgrade is due for completion by July.

New rail bridge installed at West Tamworth The first of four new bridges has been installed as major work gathers pace on reinstating the five-kilometre section of the former Barraba line between West Tamworth and Westdale, the site of the Tamworth Regional Council’s proposed new intermodal terminal (see March 2021 RD, page 11).

On Thursday 15 April NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the project to reinstate the line will ensure Tamworth has a strong and viable rail network that links into the Tamworth Regional Freight Terminal and provides connectivity through to Port Botany.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

New South Wales Premier says NSW on track for faster rail network NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says NSW will go it alone on fast rail instead of waiting for consensus from state and federal governments, at the same time signalling a renewed focus on privatising public assets to finance such infrastructure projects.

On Thursday 29 April Ms Berejiklian outlined her plan to reduce travel time between Sydney and regional NSW centres and indicated her government would again look at “asset recycling” to finance projects.

“We’re carrying a bit more debt than we used to, but also the asset recycling agenda is definitely renewed for us,” Ms Berejiklian told The Sydney Morning Herald Infrastructure Summit (see report, page 7).

Ms Berejiklian said the state’s “creative” financing of infrastructure projects had helped NSW expand its non-financial assets by 46 per cent over the past four years, which is expected to grow by another 34 per cent over the next four.

“When talking about asset recycling, we’re serious, instead of owning something that might not be very creative and active on the balance sheet, you can convert that into schools and hospitals and roads and rail,” she said.

Before the 2019 state election, Ms Berejiklian said that work on a fast rail network would begin in this term of government (see January 2019 RD, page 12).

The plans for the south coast upgrade come almost 18 months after a British rail expert commissioned by the government completed his report into options for faster rail in NSW. Professor Andrew McNaughton’s report has not been released publicly.

The four routes he was asked to consider for faster or high-speed rail were from Sydney south to Wollongong and Nowra; north to the Central Coast and Newcastle; west to Lithgow, Bathurst and Parkes; and south-west to Goulburn and Canberra. Faster rail is deemed to be speeds less than 200km/h, while high speed is greater than 250km/h.

A Grattan Institute analysis in 2020 identified Wollongong-Sydney as the one rail corridor in NSW that would lead to the “most feasible commutes” if it had a major upgrade. In contrast, the institute’s analysis Left: A $790,000 upgrade of Bathurst station is underway.

Work to be completed includes repairs and restoration of the sandstone on the main station, chimney repairs, roofing maintenance and painting. Lawrance Ryan Above right (page 13): The sweeping curves at Murrobo, located just east of Blayney, make the area one of the most regularly photographed railway locations in the NSW central west. On Thursday 15 April, WT27 Central West XPT, with lead unit XP2008, drops down the grade into the Belubula River valley, en route to Dubbo on Thursday 15 April.

Lawrance Ryan

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found Newcastle would still be a “very long train ride away” from Sydney if the line underwent a major “rail renovation”.

The Premier said NSW could not wait for other states and governments to agree on a broader major city-connecting rail scheme.

“We would, but in the past when we’ve tried to have those conversations – as you’ve seen during COVID – getting the states and jurisdictions to agree on anything is a challenge,” she said.

News

“If we can show the way in NSW of what’s possible and what’s feasible and how it can be managed in the balance sheet, well perhaps that might inspire some others to be more excited about it.”

Record low-interest rates also mean the state isn’t too concerned about accruing debt over coming years, Ms Berejiklian said. “It doesn’t cost much to borrow money these days, this is a good time to carry some debt on your balance sheet,” she said.

Kadungle, on the Tottenham branch, was closed after the 2014/2015 grain harvest

by GrainCorp – deemed surplus to requirements – so 8834N was the first proper train (apart from track machines) to use the siding in around six years. Here, on Monday 8 March, JHCRN infrastructure staff at Kadungle ‘A-Frame’ are doing routine inspections, chatting with the codriver of light engines 48123 and 48130, prior to the loco’s entering the siding to pick up stored train 8834N (23 X NGDX grain wagons) left the previous evening after a locomotive failure between Gobondery and Kadungle.

Dave Haden

JUNE 2021

13

News

New South Wales Review questions findings of Canberra to Eden railway feasibility study

The findings of a NSW government-funded feasibility study into the viability of a rail line linking Canberra and the Port of Eden has been questioned in a review commissioned by the Cooma and Monaro Progress Association (CMPA).

The executive summary of the Canberra to Port of Eden Feasibility Study was released in September 2020 (see November 2020 RD, page 10). The $1 million feasibility study was prepared in response to a 2018 concept plan developed by independent engineering consultant Edwin Mitchell that investigated the viability of rebuilding the disused rail line between Queanbeyan and Bombala to modern standards and extending the line to the deep-water Port of Eden on Twofold Bay (see April 2019 RD, page 9). A short northern extension to Canberra Airport was also included in the design. The plan proposed that the line would be mixed-use, with 160km/h passenger tilt-train services operating in tandem with freight services.

The Canberra to Port of Eden Feasibility Study found that the project is not viable from a benefit cost ratio (BCR) perspective, claiming that there would be little, if any, return on investment.

A subsequent review of this finding, Review of Feasibility Study on Canberra to Eden Railway, was commissioned by CMPA and released on 9 March. The review recommends that the financial and economic findings of the Feasibility Study should be set aside.

In response CMPA were advised that the Feasibility Study had been closed. (An earlier edition of the review had been submitted to the NSW Government in December 2020 with the same response.)

According to a CMPA media release the Executive summary of the Canberra to Port of Eden Feasibility Study confirmed that the railway is physically feasible and that there is ample scope for upgrade of the Port of Eden. However, CMPA argues that the railway construction estimates used in the assessment of the project were excessive and has recommended: • Setting aside the financial and economic findings of the Feasibility Study; and • preparing an assessment of the original 2018 concept plan for the Canberra to Eden Railway, based on transparent terms of reference.

In making these requests CMPA claims that the financial conclusions

of the Canberra to Port of Eden Feasibility Study are compromised by the following combination of disabling errors and unexplained disparities with the Concept Plan: • Seven-fold disparity between the Study and Concept in the number of freight trains per day to Eden, • Mistaking the origin of freight trains to Eden. Most export freight on these trains will be railed through Queanbeyan to Eden, not consolidated in Canberra, • Misunderstanding the passenger imperative of the railway. A purpose is to take commuters by rail, to Canberra; the existing Canberra station is an eligible alternative to the airport; the ACT government will need to be consulted for their decision on this, • Seven-fold disparity between the Report and the Concept Plan in revenue from sale of State land for housing near stations, • A two-fold disparity between the Report and the Concept Plan in the estimated project cost without mention of the Concept Plan estimate in the Study Report, • Evincing a pessimistic, defeatist stance; Neutral description of an option with disabling cost, • Keeping to the century-old rail alignment at tortuous sections – misunderstanding commuters and ignoring benefits of reduced transit time for freight, • Absent accounting for reduced congestion in and on the approaches to ports Botany and Kembla, • Absent accounting for decentralisation; and • Avoiding level crossings by changing existing rail levels instead of road levels.

The Review of Feasibility Study on Canberra to Eden Railway contains four independent reviews by engineering and rail specialists that, when combined, provide supporting evidence regarding CMPA’s concerns.

Whether the review gains support and leads to a reassessment of the potential for a rail line linking Canberra and the Port of Eden remains to be seen.

The review can be viewed on the Cooma and Monaro Progress Association website at: www.coomansw.com.au/projects-proposals/ canberra-to-eden-railway-proposal/.

On Saturday 10 April, on the return run from Canberra Kingston railway station to Goulburn, the AK Cars with Clyde/EMD Streamliners GM22 and 42103 cross the Molonglo River bridge at Burbong. Dennis Forbes

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News

At around 2.30am on Thursday 15 April, SCT Logistics MB9 Melbourne-Brisbane freight service came to grief on the passing loop at Bomen, north of Wagga Wagga, with five wagons and two locomotives, SCT013 and SCT005, derailed. The train’s crew were said to be “shaken but OK”. The photo at left, taken at 9am on the morning of the 15th, shows the aftermath of the accident, which brought about a temporary closure of the Main Southern line, while in the image above, taken on Saturday morning the 17th, the cleanup is well advanced as SCT005 is lifted from its resting place and on to road transport to be taken away for repair. Ian Stewart

At Junee on Thursday 8 April Goodwin/Alco units 864, 872 and 4497 push back QUBE 3314 Harefield intermodal shuttle service past GrainCorp Goodwin/Alco unit 48215 (formerly NSW Railways 48149).

Ewan McLean

JUNE 2021

15

News Around Sydney Major upgrades for Sydney Inner West stations St Peters and Erskineville stations will receive major makeovers, worth about $40 million, as part of the integration of Sydney Metro City & Southwest.

(St Peters and Erskineville are located on the Illawarra line 3.81 and 2.88 kilometres respectively from Central station. They are currently served by Sydney Trains T3 Bankstown line services.)

On Monday 5 April NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the upgrades will include new lifts and canopies in preparation for the increase in services when the new Metro opens in 2024.

From 2024, commuters at St Peters and Erskineville will travel exclusively on the T4 Illawarra Line resulting in new direct connections for passengers to Martin Place and the Eastern Suburbs. There are plans to increase peak services in stages on the T4 Illawarra Line by 30 per cent.

St Peters will benefit with the installation of two new lifts. Erskineville station will receive four new lifts and a new pedestrian footbridge and entrance at the southern end of the station.

There are plans for canopies at each station on platforms where passengers will board and leave T4 Illawarra Line services in the future.

There will also be other improvements to boost safety and accessibility.

Subject to planning approval, construction for both upgrades is expected to start later this year and take around two years to complete.

New South Wales Proposed upgrade features Erskineville • A new southern entrance at Bridge Street, • New lifts and stairs to provide access to the station platforms, • New canopies at station platforms to provide better weather protection, • New family accessible, and male and female ambulant toilets, • Upgrades to pedestrian pathways throughout the station precinct, • New kiss and ride spaces, • A new accessible parking space, • New bicycle hoops, • A new accessible water fountain, • A new pedestrian crossing on Bridge Street, • New and upgraded platform tactiles to help customers with visual impairment; and • Improvements to CCTV, lighting and wayfinding signage.

St Peters • Two new lifts to provide access to the station platforms, • New canopies at the station platforms to provide better weather protection, • A new family accessible toilet, • Upgrades to pedestrian pathways throughout the station precinct, • New and upgraded platform tactiles to help customers with visual impairment, • New kiss and ride spaces, • New bicycle hoops; and • Improvements to CCTV, lighting and wayfinding signage

At Sydenham, the curved platforms 1 and 2 are in the progress of moving. Seen here on Wednesday 28 April, work is continuing on the construction a new overbridge concourse at the northern end of Sydenham station that will complement the existing concourse at the southern end of the station. In order to provide straighter platforms for the screens along the metro tracks, new Metro platforms are under construction and will be located north of the current platforms. John Beckhaus

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News

Sydney Light Rail: CAF Urbos 3 tram 20 at Dulwich Hill, terminus of the L1 line from Central, on Saturday 8 May. Mike Martin

NSW Government considers free public transport to boost Sydney CBD The NSW government will consider making public transport to Sydney’s Central Business District free on some days in a bid to reignite economic activity in the city’s commercial hub. Economic activity in the CBD is still well down on pre-pandemic levels with commercial occupancy rates at around 50 per cent.

The NSW government hosted a business summit on Thursday 22 April to canvass ways to revive the inner city economy. Proposals for free public transport to the CBD and fringe benefits tax relief were among the many suggestions made by summit participants.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said business feedback showed Mondays and Fridays were particularly slow in the CBD. “We need to look at incentives to bring people back into town on Mondays and Fridays... and public transport is one of them,” he said. Free public transport to the

CBD could be targeted “on certain days and at certain times”, he said.

The state government will spend an additional $20 million on suggestions made at the business summit to revitalise inner Sydney.

“We want more people back in the city, whether that’s working or shopping or coming for entertainment and dining,” Mr Perrottet said.

Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore called for free public transport on Fridays to encourage people to travel to the CBD. Summit participants also suggested the CBD light rail should be made free to facilitate movement around the inner city.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes, who also attended the summit, said Sydney’s CBD would need to be reshaped following the pandemic.

“A great city is like a great party - people want to stay longer because they are having fun,” he said. “We want to make this city to be more inclusive, we want to give people more reasons to come here”.

NSW chief economist, Stephen Walters, who addressed the CBD summit, said inner Sydney would eventually recover from its slump but needed to embrace bold new initiatives to overcome changes to work patterns.

Sydney Light Rail: Alstom Citadis 305 trams, coupled in pairs, operate the L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford services. On Tuesday 11 May, cars 033 and 034 are seen approaching the platform at Central on the way to the terminus at Circular Quay.

Peter Clark

JUNE 2021

17

News

Queensland Isis Mill’s Wallaville (Duingal) cane railway and Childers road/rail loader moving towards completion

Isis Central Sugar Mill’s 39-kilometre railway from Cordalba to Duingal, intended to tap in to cane farms in the Wallaville area, was slowly approaching completion by early May. The rails had reached a point beside McLennan Drive, Duingal at that time and most of the track laid had been ballasted although further tamping was required and the first 100 metres of track from the junction with the New Valley line at Promisedland Road remained unballasted. A six-track yard where trucks will transfer their cane to rail wagons (road dump) is being constructed at Duingal, beside McLennan Drive, around 500 metres north of where the line joins that thoroughfare. Each siding is around 400 metres in length.

Earthworks beyond the Duingal yard are underway and around two kilometres north of the yard the formation turns north east away from McLennan Drive and crosses Duingal Road before heading around two kilometres further towards the Burnett River. Plans call for another line to continue north alongside McLennan Drive to near the road bridge over the Burnett River (see map, page 31, September 2020 RD) but no work has started on this as yet. While the entire line may not be completed by the time the cane crushing season commences in June it is expected to be operational as far as the Duingal road dump by then. The closure of Bundaberg Sugar’s Bingera Mill at the end of the 2020 crushing season (see January 2021 RD, page 20-21) combined with the new railway is expected to assist Isis mill to more economically capture additional cane from Bingera’s catchment area, a process that was already under way with cane being road-hauled direct to the Isis mill – creating around 27,000 heavy road vehicle movements along the Bruce Highway each season. A proposal for a siding at Marule, traversing part of the former QR alignment beyond where the line turns to the north and shown on the abovementioned map, has, at this stage, not been constructed.

As reported in the January 2021 RD (page 21) following the closure of MSF Sugar’s Maryborough mill at the end of the 2020 crushing season, an agreement has been reached with Isis Mill to accept the Maryborough mill’s output for this year and 2022. The agreement may be extended. In order to facilitate transport of Maryborough area (and the remaining Nambour region cane) to the Isis mill a transloader to facilitate the transfer of cane from road to rail is being constructed on the eastern outskirts of Childers, adjacent to Goodwood Road on the mill’s Doolbi line – once the alignment for the former Queensland Railways’ Isis Junction - Cordalba - Dallarnil railway which closed between Cordalba and Dallarnil in 1955 and from Isis Junction to

Cordalba in 1964. Around 800 metres of the existing Doolbi line has been upgraded with concrete sleepers and a second track installed through the site of the Transloader. The transloader’s centrepiece will be a ramp where B-double trucks will side tip their cane into storage hoppers above one of the sidings (that will be built at a lower level to clear the bins) ready for dumping into rail wagons below for the journey to Isis mill. The loader will feature a wagon indexing system. There was previously a cane loading siding at the eastern (Browns Road) end of the site which handled around 50,000 tonnes of cane each season.

However, the new facilities are designed for a seasonal throughput of around 500,000 tonnes. The site will obviate the need for the B-doubles to travel through the busy Childers business district. By early May the truck ramp was well advanced and track had been laid and was being welded in preparation for ballasting. The primary contractor is transport engineering consultants Smith Global. The facility is expected to be completed in time for the crushing season although reports suggest Isis mill’s resources are stretched with two rail projects underway simultaneously. For example, the mill’s operational ballast wagon fleet comprises just two wagons, normally enough for maintenance duties but not intended for major track construction projects.

The transloader project is being funded by a $2.5 million Community Development Grant from the Federal Government and a matching amount from the Isis mill. The Commonwealth provided $5 million in assistance for the Wallaville railway construction – $2.5 million from its Regional Jobs and Investment Packages program and an identical amount from the Community Development Fund. The transloader’s approximate 500,000 tonnes of cane will, with additional cane from the Wallaville area via the new railway, provide a considerable boost to the mill’s throughput which was just 809,000 tonnes after a relatively dry growing season. Although cane from the new Duingal line and from the transloader will generate significant rail traffic, indications are that with a reduced district cane crop in 2021 due to unfavourable growing conditions, there may be no need to increase the locomotive fleet size in the coming season, although scheduling will be significantly altered.

However, if required, the mill’s two EM Baldwin locomotives (Nos. 9 and 10) could be pressed into regular service to support the remaining fleet of six units rebuilt from ex QR DH Class locomotives. The EM Baldwin units have been in a back-up role with No. 10 currently powering the two-wagon ballast train.

Isis Central Sugar Mill is constructing a transloader on the outskirts of Childers to enable cane from the closed Maryborough mill’s area to be unloaded from trucks into rail wagons for the journey to the mill. In this Wednesday, 21 April view the mill’s railmounted welding unit is a work on the new second track being installed for the transloader, which will be located at the far end of the yard. John Hoyle

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News

Above: Isis Central Sugar Mill’s Wallaville (Duingal) railway has reached Duingal where its end was marked by a white peg and a bag of Pandrol rail clips in this Wednesday, 21 April view. On the left a road dump yard is under construction to allow cane to be transferred from road to rail.

In the far background the mill’s two-wagon ballast train and EM Baldwin locomotive No.10 are at work ballasting the new track. John Hoyle Below: EMU57 and EMU30 on 15C8 Caboolture to Northgate service arrive at Morayfield on Friday 2 April. As the destination panel suggests, this service would normally run all the way to Ipswich, but on this day was truncated due to trackwork. Anthony Evans

JUNE 2021

19

News

Queensland

Above: At Coppabella yard on the Goonyella network on Wednesday 31 March, Aurizon EDI/EMD unit 4135, Pacific National Siemens unit 7103 and Aurizon UGL/Siemans unit 3719 line up on their respective empty coal trains. John Scott Below: Two pairs of Clyde/EMD units wait at Runcorn station on Sunday 21 March after completing their required duties, immobilised due to no path being presently available for them to go north. 2490H and 2485H sit in Platform 2 with loaded spoil while 2195A and 2163 in Platform 3 after having earlier unloaded ballast at Platform 3 at Fruitgrove. Anthony Evans

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News

As foreshadowed in last month’s RD (page 14), Aurizon has returned to grain haulage in Queensland after the GrainCorp contract moved from Aurizon to Watco in 2018. Following a number of road tuition runs for crews using light engines 2360 and 2363 between Toowoomba and Goondiwindi in April, the first Aurizon revenue service operated from Toowoomba’s Willowburn yard to GrainCorp’s Thallon site on Friday, 30 April 2021. The train comprised 2363 and 2360 hauling 38 VGHM and VGKM wagons. After a crew change at Goondiwindi, involving a relief crew who had driven from Toowoomba, the train is seen here between Bungunya and Talwood. The water beside the track is a reminder that the south-west Queensland grain growing areas have had a good season in recent months. GrainCorp told Railway Digest Aurizon is operating these services for one of its customers as part of its normal operations. John Hoyle

Queensland Rail SMU 236 and SMU 241 arrive at Newmarket Station with Ferny Grove service 1E89 on Tuesday 20 April.

Bailey Petrie

JUNE 2021

21

News Ovingham level crossing removal underway Major works on the $196 million Ovingham Level Crossing Removal Project began in May. The project will see Torrens Road raised over the Gawler and interstate rail lines in Adelaide. (The crossing is located near the north-eastern fringe of the Adelaide CBD.) An average of 21,300 vehicles pass through the existing level crossing each day with the Torrens Road boom gates down for approximately 22 per cent of the time during the combined AM and PM peak periods.

On Wednesday 7 April South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon. Corey Wingard MP, said elevating the road over the rail line will provide the best outcome for the community (see August 2020 RD, page 18). “Out of the options considered, raising the road will improve walkability and create new community open space, as well as have the least disruption for motorists, residents and local businesses,” Minister Wingard said.

The new road can be mostly constructed off-line, assisting to minimise traffic impacts during construction.

The upgrade at Ovingham also involves the elevation of the western end of Churchill Road, which intersects with Torrens Road approximately 100 metres from the Ovingham Level Crossing heading towards the city, so that it meets the elevated height of Torrens Road.

Piling works are expected to start in May, with project completion in 2023, weather permitting.

South Australia For more information about the project, visit the Ovingham Level Crossing Removal virtual room at: https://dit.sa.gov.au/infrastructure/public_transport_projects/ovingham_ level_crossing_removal/virtual_room

Keolis Downer Adelaide commits to support workplace wellbeing The operator of Adelaide Metro train services, Keolis Downer, has committed to training local frontline staff in Mental Health First Aid, in a bid to drive recognition and support for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

The commitment coincided with Rail R U OK? Day on Thursday 29 April, which encouraged rail employees to check-in on each other regularly by asking, – “Are You Okay?” and really paying attention to the answer.

Managing Director of Keolis Downer Adelaide, Robert Tatton-Jones, said the company is committed to supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of its employees across Adelaide’s rail network.

The rail industry’s harm prevention charity, the TrackSAFE Foundation, says rail workers often face various challenges at work and may be exposed to traumatic incidents.

The Foundation’s Executive Director, Heather Neil, said they were thrilled to have Keolis Downer Adelaide onboard for Rail R U OK? Day, and also recognise the importance of Mental Health First Aid Training for frontline staff.

Out of the Never Never. Driving west from Port Augusta, the signs of civilisation rapidly dwindle. Once past Pimba, even the stunted tree cover thins out. Pacific National intermodal service 3PM6 is literally on the edge of nowhere as it races up to the Stuart Highway overpass near Glendambo behind NR69 and NR24 on Wednesday 28 April. Malcolm Holdsworth

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RAILWAY DIGEST

South Australia

News

Above: The long shadows just prior to sunset fall over the One Rail terminal in Whyalla on Monday 29 March as loaded Wirrida iron ore train 9612 arrives to add to the stockpile visible in the top of the frame. GWA008 and GWA002 are at the rear of the train in the foreground with GWA009 visible in top of frame near the stockpile. In this aerial view, the steelworks can be seen as well as ships offshore in the Gulf waters waiting for the barges to load. Also, a CK class locomotive still in faded AN green and gold is stabled with some spare ore wagons. John Kirk Below: At Two Wells, heading to Crystal Brook as AK91 on Sunday 21 March the AK cars had unusual motive power, in the form of NR101 and NR17.

Greg O’Brien

JUNE 2021

23

News

South Australia

Above: The autumn leaves provide a colorful backdrop to 7MP5 Melbourne–Perth intermodal freight, which has just left Mile End and is passing over the Goodwood Road subway as it begins the final leg of its journey, on Tuesday 27 April, behind NR50, NR90 and G537. Noel Potter Below: On Thursday 22 April, One Rail Australia locomotives 1601, 851 and 1204 head out of Ceduna with empty gypsum train 5DD3 on the way to the Lake MacDonnell mine at Kevin for another load. This 66 kilometre line, running from the mine to the port at Thevenard, is the last remnant of the once-extensive narrow-gauge Eyre Peninsula Railway. Scott Mitchell

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Victoria ARTC rethinks plans for higher bridges on Victorian Inland Rail route The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has pulled back from plans to dramatically raise the height of three road over rail bridges located in historic towns in the north-east of Victoria, including Glenrowan, the site of Ned Kelly’s last stand.

The proposed road overpasses were to be part of the 1700 kilometre Inland Rail project running from Brisbane to Melbourne. ARTC had planned to build the new road overpasses at Euroa, Benalla and Glenrowan (located approximately 162, 206 and 230 kilometres from Melbourne’s Southern Cross station on the North East line – part of the Inland Rail route) to allow for trains with double-stacked containers to pass underneath.

The proposed elevated bridges sparked fierce community backlash amid fears they would do major damage to the character and heritage of the towns. However, the rail corporation reportedly told a Senate Inquiry into the Management of the Inland Rail project hearing on Friday 23 April that it was reassessing the bid to construct the higher bridges, in a welcome development for worried residents.

A report by heritage consultant Deborah Kemp, who specialises in the state’s north-east, said the proposal to raise the overpass height at Glenrowan would reduce access to the site of Ned Kelly’s siege in 1880. She found that while there was a lack of detail about the exact shape of the proposed new bridge at Glenrowan, plans to increase its size would spoil the site.

News At Euroa, the plan would have raised the level of the overpass above nine metres, including a safety barrier.

When asked why it was scrapping plans for the bridges, the rail corporation’s Victoria projects general manager Ed Walker said safety was the most important priority. “ARTC is investigating all safe and effective options for the passage of freight services through these communities,” he said.

Mr Walker said the corporation would consult with a newly formed stakeholder group and a community working group but insisted this process would not affect the overall delivery of the project.

Some Euroa residents had been lobbying for the Inland Rail project to scrap the current road bridge, which they say is ugly and divides the town. The latest statements in the Senate committee have raised hopes in the town that the corporation may agree to a road passing under the rail tracks, despite ruling out that option earlier this year. Euroa residents delivered their own plan to the Senate committee hearing, which includes the underpass and redevelopment of the station.

North East Rail Alliance convenor Alana Johnson said the three towns had faced the prospect of much higher bridges than the existing structures.

But Ms Johnson said the corporation had now accepted the “local solution” for Benalla, which involves relocating 1.3 kilometres of track to the other side of the railway station, doing away with the need for an overpass. (Full details of this proposal are unclear, with no mention of a rail line diversion included in the publicly available minutes of the Inland Rail – Benalla Working Group (see https://inlandrail.artc.com.au/where-we-go/ projects/tottenham-to-albury/consultation/benalla-working-group/ ).

On a wet Monday 12 April, SSR’s broad-gauge Clyde/EMD streamliner S302 heads a rake of grain hoppers at the Allied Pinnacle Flour Mill, Kensington, Melbourne. With only broad-gauge sidings, the mill has suffered supply problems since the conversion to standard gauge of many of the grain lines in Western Victoria. Scott Mitchell

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News

Victoria

42103 and GM22 pass the spectacular silo art at Lascelles on the Ouyen to Ararat section of the AK Cars’ run in Victoria, on Sunday 18 April.

Renowned Melbourne Street Artist “Rone” painted the images of local couple Geoff and Merrilyn Horman on the silos. Their family has lived in the area for four generations. Geoff and Merrilyn were both born in the district and then married later in Lascelles in 1967. Together with their two sons and now their families also, they have continued the family tradition of wheat farming and strong community involvement. John Kirk

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Victoria

News

Pacific National empty grain train 7731V, powered by BL32 and XR558, crosses the Wimmera River flood plain at Glenorchy on Tuesday 6 April.

Damien Butler

V/Line’s first all-female driver trainee group hits the network

V/Line also recruits trainee drivers who have previous experience driving trains for other operators or have worked in other roles within V/Line.

V/Line’s first all-female group of trainee drivers spent their first weeks on the rail network visiting stations and driver depots across the state.

On Wednesday 21 April Victorian Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll met trainees Ashleigh McComb, Stephanie Love and Lauren Clemas at Traralgon Station to mark the commencement of the driver training program.

“Driving trains is definitely a change from where I’ve worked in the past but I’m excited about the prospects of a career in rail and I’m confident I have the skills to make it happen,” said trainee V/Line Driver Ashleigh McComb.

The trainees travelled along the Gippsland line throughout the day with their trainer Dave Richards as part of the second phase of their training to familiarise themselves with key locations on the network, following an intensive period of classroom training earlier in the year.

They are part of a class of eight female trainees who were recruited from non-rail backgrounds, bringing with them a diverse range of experiences, including a former aviation worker, apprenticeship network provider employee, stay at home mum and Indian Army Major.

The group began classroom training in February following a comprehensive series of interviews and aptitude testing to ensure the best possible candidates were selected.

“Our trainee group has formed a really strong bond, we all come from different backgrounds but that helps us use our different strengths to work through the program together”, trainee Driver Lauren Clemas said.

The training program takes more than 70 weeks to complete and features several modules including classroom training, practice on V/ Line’s driver simulator and experience on the network with a team of practical driver trainers.

Recruits from this class will be entering the network as fully qualified drivers in mid-2022.

V/Line now has more than 500 drivers and is continuing to expand its workforce.

There are several other trainee driver groups at various stages of the training program. In addition to drivers from non-railway backgrounds,

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27

News

Victoria

Around Melbourne Upgrade for South Yarra and Route 58 trams A $12.3 million upgrade of South Yarra station and tram stop reached its first milestone in early-April with the station component complete and open to passengers. The new-look station includes a bigger entrance and forecourt to relieve congestion and improve accessibility, better shelter, new quicker Myki machines, a free mobile phone charging station and vital upgrades to support passengers with disability, ground tactiles for visually impaired people and hearing loops for people with hearing impairment.

The next stage of the project will feature a new tram stop directly outside the station ahead of the introduction of E-Class trams on Route 58 – from West Coburg to Toorak, in September 2021.

The new stop will provide level access to trams, a wider pedestrian crossing, new clear tram shelters, real-time passenger information, extra bike hoops and new bike lanes so cyclists can safely travel past the stops.

The introduction of E-Class trams will increase capacity on Route 58 by 50 per cent in the morning peak – from 3,000 to 4,500 people at any time, reducing overcrowding and boarding delays.

A review of the route in preparation for the longer trams will see eight stops – all of which are between 100 and 290 metres of another stop – close, while others will be relocated to make boarding safer and better space stops. Mattingley Crescent/Melville Rd (Stop 39), Foden Street/Dawson Street (Stop 32), Royal Park (Stop 23), Harker Street/ Flemington Road (Stop 16), Franklin Street/Peel Street (Stop 8), Flinders Lane/Market Street (Stops 2 and 3) and Myrtle Street/Toorak Road (Stop 126) will all close.

The north-bound Collins/William Street stop will be relocated between Collins Street and Little Collins Street ahead of being upgraded to an accessible, level access stop next year.

Route 58 runs from Coburg to Toorak and services some of the city’s key tourist attractions and the medical precinct, including Melbourne Zoo, Queen Victoria Market, the Royal Children’s Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Crown Entertainment Complex, Shrine of Remembrance and Toorak Road shops.

HCMT (High Capacity Melbourne Train) Set 08 arrives at Caulfield with a service to Flinders Street on Thursday 15 April.

Scott Mitchell

Melbourne Metro Trains to cut jobs despite COVID aid Metro Trains Melbourne is considering redundancies despite receiving tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer money to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic. Metro Trains will be scrapping 10 passenger service lead roles, with up to 30 positions expected to be affected in some way.

Changes to the placement and number of station master roles at 28 of Metro’s 222 stations are also under consideration, according to a Sunday 25 April report in the Herald Sun. The Victorian government provided Metro Trains with at least $25 million as part of a COVID support package in mid-2020, plus bonuses and additional funding for pandemic cleaning. It will have to repay part of that sum back through future profits over the remaining years of its contract terms.

The move has sparked outrage with the public transport union, which argued customer-facing staff were needed as the network expanded and the Metro Tunnel moves closer to completion.

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Rail, Tram and Bus Union Victorian Secretary Luba Grigorovitch said there were “no grounds” under the enterprise agreement to support Metro’s “aggressive approach”.

“Metro have lied through their teeth claiming frontline workers won’t be affected,” she said. “These redundancies will affect the frontline. Full stop.

“The RTBU has raised the dispute with the company and is currently exploring all legal and industrial options at our disposal, we plan to fight this all the way.”

Metro Trains chief Raymond O’Flaherty said station employees in passenger service roles were not affected. “We’re working closely with employees and the union through this process, and impacted employees will be considered for redeployment to alternative roles within Metro,” he said.

A government spokesman said it urged the parties to continue talks in “good faith” and to reach a resolution that “supported” staff.

RAILWAY DIGEST

Victoria

News

Above: Sprinter 7001, the latest to receive and upgrade and repaint into PTV purple livery, returned from Bendigo North SSR Workshops on Saturday 1 May and the following day worked 1356 Southern Cross to Seymour service, with 7016, seen here at Kensington station on the Cragieburn line.

The interior features purple coloured seats, and red/orange coloured seats near the doorways for disabled passengers. James Chuang Below: VLocity set VL74 eases out of the maintenance shed, as an assortment of stabled locomotives and railcars await their next turn of duty in the Dudley Street sidings on Saturday 6 March. Martin Bennet

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News Local push for return of Albany to Perth passenger service There appears to be little Western Australian government support for a community-led plan to revive a Perth to Albany rail passenger service.

(Albany is the southern terminus of the WA Great Southern Railway. It is located 418 kilometres southeast of Perth.)

Campaigners for the service — which they say could run from Perth to Boddington through Narrogin, Wagin and Mount Barker before arriving in Albany — met with local government and Regional Development Australia representatives in late April to discuss their proposal.

The concept would use the existing Great Southern rail network, now primarily used by CBH for grain movements out of the Albany and Wagin depots. It would also see the reopening the Pinjarra to Narrogin cross-country line that closed in 1984. (The Hotham Valley Railway, based at Dwellingup, operates a section of the Pinjarra to Narrogin line between Etmilyn and Isandra Siding.)

The last Western Australian Government Railways passenger service to Albany, the Albany Progress, operated between Perth and Albany via the Eastern and Great Southern lines from May 1961 until December 1978.

The campaign to reinstate rail passenger services to Albany is being led by Albany-local Adrian Marshall, who said that while cost was always prohibitive, using existing railways could help Mr Marshall said a faster train could travel between Perth and Albany in four hours.

However, WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the idea was not on the government’s agenda. “Our ability to extend passenger rail to Albany is limited due to services being cancelled many decades ago,” she said. “While the rail infrastructure does remain in place, some sections of these lines have been closed for some years and have not been

Western Australia maintained. “A significant upgrade of the lines would be required before any consideration could be given to re-opening them in the future”.

Roe MLA Peter Rundle has backed an investigation into the concept.

“We should at least explore it and have a look at the options as to what is feasible,” he said.

Albany is currently connected to Perth by Transwa coach services.

Regional Express Airlines also provides regular flights to and from the state capital using 34-passenger Saab 340 aircraft.

Heritage works underway at temporarily closed Claremont station Heritage restoration works are underway at Claremont, with specialist contractors taking advantage of the station’s temporary closure during the completion of works associated with a major METRONET project designed to increase service frequency and allow direct access to the Forrestfield-Airport Link (Airport line). (Claremont is located 9.3 kilometres from Perth station on the Fremantle line. Built in 1886, Claremont station is the oldest station on the Transperth network.)

Fremantle line services were initially disrupted between Friday 5 February and Tuesday 6 April because of significant works east of Claremont station associated with the installation of turnback infrastructure that allows trains travelling east from the Airport line to reverse and head back to the Perth CBD. This work will allow more services to run between Claremont and the CBD during peak times, boost network resilience during unplanned service disruptions, and provide direct access to the new Airport line from Claremont station.

During the disruption Fremantle line trains stopped at Showgrounds station (700 metres east of Claremont) rather than Claremont. Only every second train continued south, and all passengers had to change trains at Cottesloe (12.4 kilometres from Perth).

At Perth station on Thursday 15 April, a Fremantle-bound all stations service worked by A sets is about to pick up passengers at platform 7, while on Platform 8 another A set train is about to leave for Midland. James Chuang

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Western Australia

News

Watco’s first acid train since the traffic was won from Aurizon, operated on Thursday 8 April. Clyde/EMD unit FL220 and Avteq/EMD unit VL361 on 5351 acid train are seen departing Kwinana bound for Hampton in the Goldfields on the first run. Phil Melling Though normal Fremantle line services resumed on 6 April Claremont station will remain closed until June 2021 due to ongoing heritage restoration works, with commuters encouraged to continue using the nearby Showgrounds station.

Since Claremont station was temporarily closed, the project team has found a number of problems with the facility and its associated outbuildings, including its pedestrian footbridge. The gradual unearthing of previously-hidden elements, including the station building’s canopy, floor joists and supporting posts, has revealed a number of rotted and damaged components which require replacement.

“These heritage works are so important to the history of our oldest train station, and they need to be done properly,” Public Transport Authority of Western Australia spokesman David Hynes said on Tuesday 20 April.

“The specialisation required to comply with the heritage covenants that exist to protect this building are significant. The intricacy of these works is quite incredible. For example, the material required to re-create the canopy posts – all of which are unique and must be shaped using hand tools only – is not easy to source”.

“This is just one element in a series of bespoke heritage works and trades that must be sourced for the project, he said. “Fabrication and installation of these important traditional components cannot be rushed, which is why we have decided to extend the works period and the associated closure of Claremont station”.

Works on the customer service assistant office and stairs are expected to continue over the next few months.

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In early April, Tropical Cyclone Seroja battered the WA coast with wind gusts of up to 150km/hr. At Tenindewa, between Geraldton and Mullewa, on Monday 12 April, some of the damage ARC Infrastructure sustained as a result of the cyclone can be seen, with crossing light poles that had snapped off in the wind. Phil Melling

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Aurizon EDI/EMD unit ACN4168 is the rear DPU (Distributed Power Unit) loco on a loaded Karara iron ore train crossing the Geenough River at Eradu in

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RAILWAY DIGEST

minor flood on Saturday 6 March. Phil Melling

JUNE 2021

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News

Western Australia

Above: In April, Aurizon began operating a second grain train from Mullewa CBH, comprising a single P class and 15 Aurizon XT grain wagons.

P2515 on 7735 loaded Aurizon grain from Mullewa CBH to Geraldton Port is seen nearing Ambania on Saturday 1 May. Aurizon also runs another, double-headed, grain train to Geraldton Port consisting of two P class and Aurizon XT grain wagons (see March 2021 RD, page 28) each day, as does CBH/Watco. Phil Melling Below: Watco Clyde/EMD units G511 and GML10 – the latter on its second run since arriving from the east – are seen on 7142 ILS container train from Forrestfield to North Fremantle passing through Fremantle (the station is out of frame on the left) on Saturday 10 April. Phil Melling

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RAILWAY DIGEST

Western Australia

News

1738 Fremantle to Perth all stations service, worked by two A set EMUs, leaves Fremantle station on Wednesday 14 April. The dual-gauge freight line can be seen on the right. James Chuang

Plan to run Indian Pacific through to Indian Ocean at Fremantle According to a report in the Fremantle Gazette, the State Government and Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions (JBRE), operators of the Indian Pacific, have agreed to explore options to build a station for the weekly transcontinental service at a yet to be determined location west of the existing suburban station. The IP currently terminates at East Perth.

The proposed interstate station would make use of the existing dual-gauge freight line, that passes within 100m of the ocean as it heads west, then south from Fremantle.

It is hoped that the Perth Transport Authority-led plan may eventually make Fremantle Port a more attractive destination for tourists, particularly anyone tempted to tie the transcontinental journey with a cruise itinerary.

Cruise ship passengers would be able to walk from the train to their ship and vice-versa.

However, Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettit expressed some reservations, fearing that the sheer length of the train and therefore the station required to serve it, could split the city from the port’s increasingly visitor-oriented attractions.

A JBRE spokeswoman said the proposed new route could solve interuptions to both airport line trains and freight trains. “If it occurs, the change would support planned service capacity increases on the Midland line and facilitate greater intergration with tourism options such as Rottnest Island”.

Services on the Midland line are expected to increase significantly after the Forrestfield–Airport Link opens later this year.

At a meeting in April the Fremantle Inner City Residents Association gave its in-principle support to the project, but spokeswoman Maryrose

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Baker said it was given with “only minimal information and no real details about the project”.

A PTA spokeswoman said the new station’s design would be part of the study’s preliminary assesment that would include the City of Fremantle and those along the freight line.

Police charge truck driver in wake of Parkeston level crossing collision Detectives from the Western Australian Police Major Crash Investigation Section have charged a 43-year-old man as a result of their investigation into a serious crash that occurred in Parkeston (Kalgoorlie) on Monday 22 February 2021 (see April 2021 RD, page 26).

It is alleged the man was driving a Mack prime mover road train combination that collided with a freight train at the railway crossing on Yarri Road in Parkeston, about three kilometres east of Kalgoorlie.

Two male train drivers, both aged 70, were flown to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries.

The 43-year-old truck driver from Kalgoorlie has been charged with two counts of Dangerous Driving Causing Grievous Bodily Harm.

He is due to appear before the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court on Thursday, 3 June.

An Australia Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the collision is ongoing.

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www.pocketmags.com 35

The 35-Car Indian Pacific in Sydney Text and images by John Beckhaus

T

he Indian Pacific commenced operation during 1970 as a twice weekly 12 car train between Sydney and Port Pirie with cars added for the trip west of Port Pirie. The service expanded to four services each week between Sydney and Port Pirie and daily beyond to Perth. The four trains per week service started to be reduced during the mid 1990s. However, by 1990 the train length had increased to 17 cars including sitting cars and the Motorail wagon. This size train was able to operate into platform 1 at Sydney Terminal. During 1994 the operation of the Indian Pacific was transferred from joint operation by the participating railways to AN Rail.

AN Rail reduced the service frequency and increased the train length to 26 cars, which no longer fitted the platforms in Sydney, although suitable for Adelaide and Perth. This required the train to be divided in Sydney Yard and brought into platform 2 and 3 in two sections.

The shunting movement blocked part of Sydney yard with the rear cars nearly at Redfern station as it required the leading locomotive to uncouple and pull forward while the train was divided into two portions with the second locomotive hauling the leading portion into one platform. The leading locomotive then ran out to couple to the trailing section of the train to then haul it into the opposite platform.

For departure a third locomotive (which led the train on departure) was used to help with the shunting partly to release the incoming locomotives. The train departed with two locomotives hauling the leading portion out of one platform about 20 minutes before departure and then backed onto the rear portion of the train. Late arriving passengers for the cars at the front of the train boarded the rear portion and walked forward after the train was coupled together.

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Above: Pacific National locomotives NR 26 and NR 25 haul the 35 car Journey Beyond Rail Experience Indian Pacific though Parramatta Park heading to Clyde Up Yard where the first division of the train will occur, on Wednesday 21 April.

During 1997 the AN Rail passenger trains were sold to the British company SERCO who set up Great Southern Railway as the operating company but used National Rail NR class locomotives to haul the trains.

The service was reduced to a single service each week during 2008 and while some smaller trains were operated generally the longer train requiring shunting in Sydney Yard continued.

During 2020 SERCO sold the operation of its trains to a Canadian company who set up Journey Beyond Rail Experience as the new operator. The rolling stock had been sold to a finance company and leased back around 2005 with JBRE taking over the lease. Instead of increasing the frequency of the train service JBRE have continued to operate a single service but wanted to increase the train length.

Wednesday 21 April 2021 was one trial operation of a 35-car train.

NR 26 and NR 25 hauled the 35-car train which was timetabled to arrive in Clyde Up yard at 11.25 am. (There had been some trials of double length trains which divided and merged in Clyde Yards prior to this trial with each section hauled by a single locomotive.) In the meantime a third locomotive, NR 28, departed Chullora for Clyde Up Yard. The train was divided between the leading 26th car and the last nine cars. NR 28, which had the cab at the western end coupled to the rear of the 26 cars and NR 26 coupled to the front of the nine car portion of the train.

RAILWAY DIGEST

The 26-car portion departed Clyde yard with NR 25 powering and NR 28 being towed at the rear of the train. At Sydney Yard the train was divided between the 14th and the 15th car. NR 25 then hauled the 15 cars into platform 1. Having NR 28 at the rear of the train did reduce some shunting movements as it then only had to propel the 12 cars into Platform 2. NR 26 hauling the last nine cars departed Clyde Up Yard to run into Platform 3. After passengers alighted, NR 26 ran round the nine cars to couple to the other end with the long hood now leading.

In the past on Wednesdays the Indian Pacific had around three hours for the turn around. This work mainly involves removing the linen, towels and tablecloths etc for cleaning and making the beds with fresh linen and towels. With this new working arrangement this was tabled to take around one hour and twenty minutes, which was expected to not be sufficient time to complete the servicing, so departure was delayed by around 50 minutes, NR 28 hauled the middle part of the train out of platform 2 and then back on to the rear cars in platform 1 with NR 25 attached at the rear.

In Clyde Up yard NR 25 uncoupled from the rear of the train while NR 28 uncoupled from the front to await the leading nine cars to arrive. In the meantime NR 26, long hood leading, departed Platform 3 with the leading nine cars to back on to the trailing 26 cars to form the 35-car train to Adelaide.

The composition of the eastbound arriving Indian Pacific was NR 26 NR 25 HGM 298 BRG 915 ER 909 ARM 953 ARL 992 ARL 293 ARL 309 DF 930 DF 934 AFC 213 ARL 291 ARL 249 ARJ 945 HM 318 HGM 902 ARJ 242 ARM 951 ARJ 248 AFC 305 DF 231 AFC 938 BRG 168 BRG 221 SSA 260 BRG 271 BRG 267 BRG 917 AFC 227 DF 927 AOB 265 ARL 921 ARM 288 ARL 324 BRJ 919 HGM 296.

In Sydney Terminal from the buffer stops Platform 1 NR 25 and HGM 298 to HM 318, Platform 2 HGM 902 to BRG 267 and NR 28 and in platform 3 BRG 917 to HGM 296 and NR 26. This required a HGM

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power van to be in the middle of the train to power the centre section of the train. Having the luggage van at the outer end of the platform caused some delay in unloading and loading the van. It would be better to split the train one car further east so the HM van is at the inner end of platform 2. The replacement linen for the sleeping cars is carried in the HM van and the position may have delayed servicing of the train.

The pandemic lockdown in Perth led to the train terminating in Kalgoorlie on Saturday 24 April. It was reported that the passengers did not want to continue to Perth and have to spend two weeks in quarantine. The train departed Kalgoorlie around 1600 on Saturday afternoon to return all passengers to Adelaide where arrival was around 2030 on Sunday. The train was remarshalled into a 29 car train to depart Adelaide for Sydney on its normal timetable during the morning of Tuesday 27 April.

Below: After the first division of the train, the first section had departed Clyde Up Yard with NR 26 and NR 28 top and tailing. NR 26 follows passing through Flemington with the last nine cars of the train, on Wednesday 21 April.

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Rolling Stock news & contracts Issue 179

Compiled by John Beckhaus and Peter Clark

The Australian Diesel Multiple Unit Fleets John Beckhaus Early Railcars Australia’s first passenger railway at Port Arthur, Tasmania, in 1836 used convict motive power to push the vehicles. Elsewhere, horses were also used to haul trains but steam locomotive haulage of passenger and freight trains became the most common operation during the remainder of the 19th Century and into the 20th Century.

Location

Years Built

Number Built

Queensland Western Australia Tasmania Victoria New South Wales

1936 - 1950 1937 - 2003 1938 - 1940 1948 - 1951 1970

21 7 3 41 1

Steam Railcars The first Australian use of a self-propelled railcar was in South Australia during 1879. This was a steam railcar, and 21 steam railcars have operated on the railways in Australia. Steam trams operated in six locations and two centres also operated steam powered self-propelled trams.

Location South Australia Victoria Commonwealth Railways Tasmania Western Australia Queensland

Years Built 1879 - 1906 1883 - 1913 1924 1931 1931 1934

Number Built 6 2 1 9 1 2

Petrol Railcars The first operation of petrol railcars was in Tasmania during 1909. 271 petrol powered railcars have operated in Australia and a petrol-powered tram also operated in Lenora in Western Australia.

Location

Years Built Tasmania 1909 - 1937 Victoria 1912 - 1936 Queensland 1913 - 1930 South Australia 1913 - 1931 New South Wales 1919 - 1938 Western Australia 1922 Commonwealth Railways 1941

Number Built 20 44 94 56 52 4 1

Diesel Railcars Diesel railcars that were not fitted for multiple unit operation first entered service in 1936 in Queensland with 73 powered cars of this type of railcar having operated on the main railways in Australia.

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These petrol and diesel railcars were all single unit cars. Many had only one driving cab, which required the railcars, like steam locomotives, to be turned on turntables, triangles or balloon loops. While many of these powered cars had matching trailer cars the operation of railcars hauling normally steam locomotive hauled passenger cars or freight wagons was common. As well as these railcars being used for passenger and parcel services, road automobiles were also fitted with railway wheels, mainly for use as inspection cars. Many forestry and similar railways also used automobiles fitted with railway wheels for the transport of employees to worksites.

Ninety of the petrol railcars had their petrol engines replaced by diesel engines during the 1940s-1950s but not all received multiple unit control equipment. Prior to 1919 in Australia passenger and freight trains were steam locomotive hauled. The numbers of locomotive hauled passenger cars built far outnumbered the construction of railcars. These early railcars were considered a lower cost method of providing rail services on both rural and outer suburban lines where there were low traffic volumes due to the reduction in staff and maintenance costs. Well into the second decade of the twentieth century the reliability of petrol engines and transmissions was poor so many of these cars built in this period could be considered experimental with some cases where the cars had their engines removed to become locomotive hauled cars.

By 1920 the reliability of internal combustion engines had improved to enable more extensive operation of these trains. While EMU trains were placed in service in Melbourne and Sydney elsewhere as well as in Victoria and New South Wales the construction of locomotive hauled passenger cars continued in big numbers.

In Adelaide on the reasonably level suburban lines north of the city the Model 55 Railcars were operated back-to-back with only the leading car having its engine powering. At the terminus the engine that in the car that led the train was turned off with the formerly trailing car having the engine started to then tow the other car back to the city.

RAILWAY DIGEST

Left: The VLocity fleet first entered service in Victoria as two-car DMUs but commencing in 2008 the new sets were built as three-cars and further intermediate power cars were then built to make all sets now three cars. They have Cummins QSK 19R engines. This group is the most numerous DMU cars that have operated in Australia and operate on the five Interurban lines from Melbourne. They also operate beyond the Interurban area to Echuca, Maryborough and Ararat. On Saturday 12 September 2015 VL 22 in the earlier livery and VL 42 in the current livery approach their terminal station at Waurn Ponds on the western outskirts of Geelong. John Beckhaus Below: An interior view of VLocity car 1348 at Ballarat awaiting departure to Melbourne on Saturday 7 December 2019. These cars have fixed seating facing in opposite directions on either side of the centre aisle and it is noticeable that the seats facing the direction of travel are occupied first. John Beckhaus

Diesel Multiple Units Multiple Unit controlled electric trams commenced operation in Sydney during 1910. As well as Sydney multiple unit operation of trams also occurred in Adelaide commencing in 1929. As well as multiple unit operation of trams there had been earlier operation of coupled trams that used direct control from the controller of the leading car.

Multiple Unit operation of electric trains began with the electrification of the Melbourne suburban railway during 1919. However, multiple unit operation of diesel railcars did not commence until 1938 in Tasmania.

The 1950s saw the start of this operation on most railways except for Victoria where this operating technique was not introduced until 1971.

Location Years Number Built Built Tasmania New South Wales Commonwealth Railways South Australia Queensland Western Australia Victoria

1938 - 1940 1947 – 2006 1951 – 1955 1951 – 1996 1952 – 1971 1954 - 2004 1971 - 2021

17 193 9 216 56 85 289

As well as these 865 powered cars there have been 89 driving trailer cars and 110 intermediate trailer cars. Although most of the power cars are driving cars included in their total there are 98 intermediate powered cars.

The current Australian DMU fleet of 449 cars includes only two Trailer cars along with one Driving Trailer car. The Pandemic has affected much of Australia’s tourist industry and this has had a flow-on effect to tourist railway operations where lower passenger numbers are being carried.

Keolis (Adelaide Metro) currently operate Australia’s second largest fleet of DMU cars, which are only used on suburban service on the remaining four non electrified lines in Adelaide. The 3000 Class cars are doubled ended with the 3100 Class single ended. During 1987-88 Comeng built eight 3000 and 12 3100 cars and during 1992-96 Clyde Engineering built 22 3000 cars and 28 3100 cars. Both groups have Mercedes OM-444-LA engines and were designed for possible conversion to EMU cars. Originally, built with three and two across fixed facing seating the cars car have had the seating capacity reduced by fitting two and two across seating. The cars are fully compatible and usually operated as single cars or up to four-car trains. While the 3100 cars are intended to operate backto-back it is common to see a 3000+3100 set. On Sunday 2 September 2008 DMU cars 3013+3014 in the new livery are inbound to Adelaide at the lowered station at Bowden on the Outer Harbour line. John Beckhaus

JUNE 2021

39

Along with general trends overseas there has been a decline in the number of locomotive hauled passenger trains and the multiple unit train is now the becoming the norm. While most of these trains are EMUs, where the railways are not electrified the DMU has become the most common train. In Australia following the 127 Indian Pacific cars built in the early 1970s there has only been five groups of locomotive hauled cars constructed, totalling 194.

New Contracts Currently Transport for NSW and TransWA have contracts for new MU Cars, with V/Line continuing to obtain VLocity DMUs. The TransWA contract is for two three-car narrow gauge Intercity DMU sets for the Perth-Bunbury Australind service. The body shells for these cars will be built by Alstom in India with the assembly and fitting out work to be carried out at a new plant at Bellevue east of Perth. New Perth EMU suburban cars will also be constructed in a similar arrangement.

Transport for NSW has contracts with Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles (CAF) which will be built in Spain. These will be Australia’s first dual-mode vehicles as the cars will have diesel engines with AC traction. They will be fitted with a pantograph so the engine can be

turned off and power obtained from the overhead when the train is running on electrified lines. The AC/DC/AC inverter control system will accept varying frequencies and voltages including 1500 V DC. The Transport for NSW trains will be ten six-car and nine three-car Intercity sets and ten three-car Interurban sets.

V/Line is operating 88 three-car broad gauge Interurban VLocity DMU sets built by Bombardier at Dandenong in Melbourne. Currently there are contracts for 12 three-car broad gauge Interurban sets and six three-car standard gauge Intercity sets. It is planned to have the Intercity VLocity DMUs as a one class train but will include a buffet car. When the need arises in the future, additional intermediate cars could be built to increase these Intercity sets to four cars. It should be noted that the other users of this type of railcar are replacing them with a different type of car while V/line continue to purchase this design that dates back to the 1980s.

Notes on the tabulation The Byron Bay power car 661 has been converted to a battery-electric power car and is no longer a diesel multiple unit. While it still carries one diesel engine and hydraulic transmission for use in case of failure, this is not used in normal service and it can no longer operate in multiple unit.

Above: On Monday 16 November 2020 The five car DMU Xplorer has passed Wondabyne heading north on the Northern Tablelands Xplorer service. At Werris Creek the DMU train will divide, with the leading three cars continuing to Armidale and the rear two cars continuing to Moree. These trains have the buffet servery in the leading car of each set. The 23 cars of this type were built by ABB Transportation at Dandenong in Melbourne during 1993-1995 and have Cummins KTA 19A engines. Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles in Spain is building ten six-car and nine three-car dual mode trains to replace the current XPT, Xplorer and Endeavour trains.

John Beckhaus Right: As their name suggests, Hunter railcars operate Hunter Line services from Newcastle Interchange to Dungog and Scone, in company with Endeavour railcars. Two Hunter sets, working Up and Down services, are seen passing at Metford station, on Tuesday 24 March 2020 Stephen Miller

40

RAILWAY DIGEST

AUSTRALIAN DIESEL MULTIPLE UNIT FLEET Aurizon Type

V/Line Coding

2000

Cars

Numbers

Type

Coding

Cars

Numbers

2

2004, 2032

V’locity

DM

88

1100 -1128,

Cairns Kuranda Steam Type

Coding

1130 - 1188 Cars

Numbers

2000

2

2026, 2028,

2051

1

2053

Cars

Numbers

2

2024, 2036,

DM(D)

88

1200 - 1228,

TM

88

1300 - 1328,

21

7001 – 7018

1230 - 1288

Queensland Rail Type

1330 - 1388 Coding

2000

1

2057

Streamlined

2051 RM

1

93

1800

TP

2

1809, 1811

Total

11

Sprinter

7020 - 7022 Total Trans WA Type

Coding

Cars

Numbers

Prospector

WDA

3

001 – 003

WDB

3

011 – 013

Transport for NSW (Train Link) Type

Coding

Cars

Numbers

Xplorer

EA

8

2501-2508

EB

7

2511-2517

EC

8

2521-2528

Hunter

HM

7

2701-2707

HMT

7

2751-2757

Endeavour

TE

14

2801-2814

LE

14

2851-2864

Total

65

Byron Bay Railway NSW Type

Coding

Cars

Numbers

600

NPF

1

661

NTC

1

726

Total Type

Coding

Cars

Numbers

Comeng

3000

8

3001 - 3008

3100

12

3101 - 3112

Clyde

3000

22

3009 - 3030

3100

28

3113 - 3140

JUNE 2021

WDC

1

021

Avon Link

WEA

1

031

WEB

1

041

Australind

ADP

3

101 - 103

ADQ

2

121 - 122

Total

14

Pemberton WA Cars

Numbers

Tram

Type

Coding

4

1-4

Total

4

DMU Total

451

2

Keolis (Adelaide Metro)

Total

285

70

Below left: Pemberton Tramway in the forest area of the southwest of Western Australia has an 11 kilometre section of the former line to Northcliffe. Pemberton Tramway operates south from Pemberton. During 1987-89 four of these DMU cars were built by Willis Light Engineering at Riverdale in Perth and have VN 30kw engines. Tram 2 was photographed at Pemberton on Thursday 21 October 2004. John Beckhaus Below right: An interior view of Tram 2 at Pemberton on Thursday 21 October 2004. John Beckhaus

41

Above: The three car Intercity DMU returns from servicing to Perth City station to work the Australind service to Bunbury West on Tuesday 12 September 2017. The five cars for this train were built by Comeng in Perth during 1987 and have Cummins KTA 19R engines. As on the TfNSW Xplorer DMUs these trains have a buffet. Alstom is building two three-car DMU trains to replace these cars. John Beckhaus Left: The interior of the saloon of ADP 102 ready to work the Australind to Bunbury on Tuesday 12 September 2017. These trains provide rotating and reclining seating. John Beckhaus Below left: A two-car Savannahlander train, consisting of 2026 and Intermediate Driving Power Car 2053 (nearest the camera), has just crossed the Collins Avenue level crossing in Cairns North and is passing the Cairns-Kuranda Steam Railway depot, heading out on the four-day excursion to Forsayth, early on Wednesday 30 April 2014. Tony Mcilwain Below right: 2000 Class Railcars are used by both QR and Aurizon for inspection duties. Here 2004 and 2032, displaying “Special” in the destination indicator, are seen in Rockhampton Station on 25 November 2011. The Aurizon logo is displayed on the blank panel near the centre of each car. These two cars were fitted with air conditioning, no doubt appreciated by officials and guests on trips on the coal lines. Peter Clark

42

RAILWAY DIGEST

Rolling Stock contracts and deliveries Gauge mm

Qty

Class

Description

Builder - Location

Issue 179

Jan 21 Feb 21 Mar 21 Total

LOCOMOTIVES Aurizon 1067

3

1435

4

2700

GTL38-3 1500 kW Rebuilt from 2170 or 2300 #2703-2705

Progress Rail Qld

-

-

-

-

C44ACi 3275 kw Co-Co d/e locomotive #

UGL Rail Broadmeadow

-

-

-

-

GT46C-ACe 3205 kW Co-Co d/e locomotive

Progress Rail

-

-

-

-

C44ACi 3275 kw Co-Co d/e locomotive #004

UGL Rail Broadmeadow

-

-

-

-

Bravus Mining & Resources 1067

4

Fletcher International 1435

1

FIE

Fortescue Metals Group 1435

1

900

SD9043MAC No 904 Conversion to low emission fuel

Fortescue Future Industries, Perth WA

1067

4

DC

G22AR 1230kw A1A-A1A locomotives #4041, 4444, 4571 4692 (4104,4634)

Purchased ex Kiwi Rail

1067

1

Zephir LOK 4.90 Shunting locomotive

Zephir Modena Italy

Martinus Rail 2 Completed

1

One Rail Australia 1435

4

C44ACi 3275 kw Co-Co d/e locomotive #

UGL Rail Broadmeadow

-

-

-

-

1067

2

GT46C-ACe 3205 kW Co-Co d/e locomotive #

Progress Rail

-

-

-

-

Pacific National 1435

1

NR

Rebuild NR 80 as NR 122

UGL Rail Bassendean WA

Completed

1

12

QL

C44ACi 3275 kw Co-Co d/e locomotive #001-012

UGL Rail Broadmeadow

-

-

-

-

C44ACi 3246 kW Co-Co d/e locomotives #4413-4416

UGL Rail NSW

-

-

-

-

ES44ACi 3280kW Locomotive 1027

GE USA

-

-

1

1

GT26C 2240 kw DEL # 277

Purchased from Australian Loco Lease

1

-

-

1

Restore Abt Steam Locomotive #2

West Coast Wilderness Railway Workshops

-

-

-

-

Rail First Asset Maagement SA

-

-

-

2

Qube 1435

Rail First Asset Management 1435

4

CF

1

RHA

Roy Hill 1435

Southern Shorthaul Railroad 1435

1

L

West Coast Wilderness Railway 1067

1

INTERCITY PASSENGER CARS Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions HGM

1435

Install 3 Mercedes Benz Diesel-Alternator Units in HGM Power Vans

NSW TrainLink (Transport for NSW) 1435

10

Six Car Dual Mode MU trains

Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles, Spain

-

-

-

-

1435

9

Three Car Dual Mode MU trains

Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles, Spain

-

-

-

-

PTC TransWA 1067

2

ADR

DMU Driving Power Car # 101-102

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

2

ADW

DMU Trailer Car # 301-302

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

2

ADS

DMU Driving Power Car # 201-202

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1435

6

DM(D)

VLocity DMU Driving Power (Disabled Access) (a/c) #1193-1198

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1435

6

TMC

VLocity DMU Intermediate Power (a/c) #1393-1398

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1435

6

DM

VLocity DMU Driving Power (a/c) #1293-1298

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles Espana

-

-

-

-

V/Line

INTERURBAN PASSENGER CARS NSW TrainLink (Transport for NSW) 1435

10

Three Car Dual Mode MU trains

Rail Connect (Transport for NSW-TrainLink) Hyundai Rotem, Mitsubishi, UGL 1435

111

DD

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Driving Tlr Cars #9701-9756. 9801-9855

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

1435

111

DDA

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Driving Tlr Cars #9301-9356. 9401-9455

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

1435

111

DN

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Intermediate Motor Cars #8501-8556, 8601-8655

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

1435

111

DND

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Motor Cars (PWD toilet) # 8301-8356, 8401-8455

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

1435

55

DNL

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Intermediate Motor Cars (toilet) #8801-8855

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

1435

55

DT

Mariyung DD Interurban EMU Trailer Cars #9601-9655

Hyundai Rotem ROK - UGL Rail

-

-

-

-

Restore former TGR Railcar DP 17

West Coast Wilderness Railway Workshops

-

-

-

-

West Coast Wilderness Railway 1067

1

DP

1600

4

DM(D)

VLocity DMU Driving Power (Disabled Access) (a/c) # 1189-1192

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1600

4

TM

VLocity DMU Intermediate Power (a/c) # 1389-1392

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1600

4

DM

VLocity DMU Driving Power (a/c) # 1289-1292

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1435

8

DM(D)

VLocity DMU Driving Power (Disabled Access) (a/c) #1199, 2100-2106

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1435

8

TM

VLocity DMU Intermediate Power (a/c) #1399, 2300-2306

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1435

8

DM

VLocity DMU Driving Power (a/c) #1299, 2200-2206

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

V/Line

SUBURBAN PASSENGER CARS KDR Adelaide Metro 1600

24

4000

EMU Driving motor #4023A-4034A, 4023B-4034B

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

1600

12

4000

EMU Trailer #4023T-4034T

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

-

-

-

KDR Yarra Trams (PTV) 1435

10

E2

Flexity Swift Trams # 6091-6100

Bombardier Transportation Vic

-

2

1

4

1435

3

W8

Rebuilt W6-SW6 Trams # 888, 925, 1000

Bendigo Tramway Workshop

-

2

-

2

JUNE 2021

43

Gauge mm

Qty

Class

Description

Builder - Location

Jan 21 Feb 21 Mar 21 Total

SUBURBAN PASSENGER CARS (CONTINUED) Evolution Rail (PTV) 1600

130

D

HCMT EMU Driving Trailer 9001-9065, 9901-9965

CRRC Changchun RSW PRC - Downer Rail

8

2

-

1600

65

M

HCMT EMU Motor 9201-9265

CRRC Changchun RSW PRC - Downer Rail

4

1

-

10 5

1600

130

M

HCMT EMU Motor 9101-9165, 9801-9865

CRRC Changchun RSW PRC - Downer Rail

8

2

-

10

1600

65

M

HCMT EMU Motor 9701-9765

CRRC Changchun RSW PRC - Downer Rail

4

1

-

5

1600

65

T

HCMT EMU Trailer 9301-9365

CRRC Changchun RSW PRC - Downer Rail

4

1

-

5

PTA Transperth 1067

41

CEA

EMU Driving motor cars (a/c) # 1127-1167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

41

CEC

EMU Trailer car (a/c) # 2127-2167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

41

CEE

EMU Motor car (a/c) # 3127-3167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

41

CEF

EMU Motor cars (a/c) # 4127-4167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

41

CED

EMU Trailer car (a/c) # 5127-5167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

1067

41

CEB

EMU Driving motor cars (a/c) # 6127-6167

Alstom Transport Sri-city India-Perth WA

-

-

-

-

Sydney Trains (Transport for NSW) 1435

68

N

EMU Motor (a/c) #1625-1641,1725-1741; 1825-1841,1925-1941

Hitachi-CRRC CNR Changchun RSW PRC

-

8

4

44

1435

34

T

EMU trailer (a/c) #1325-1341, 1425-1441

Hitachi-CRRC CNR Changchun RSW PRC

-

4

2

22

1435

34

D

EMU Driving Trailer (a/c) #1125-1141; 1225-1241

Hitachi-CRRC CNR Changchun RSW PRC

-

4

2

22

Sydney Metro (Transport for NSW) 1435

46

DTC

Terminal trailers for driverless Metropolis EMU #2301~4501, 2302~4502

Alstom Sri City Andhra Pradesh, India

-

-

-

-

1435

46

MPC

Inter pantograph motor Cars for Metropolis EMU 2303~4503, 2304~4504

Alstom Sri City Andhra Pradesh, India

-

-

-

-

1435

46

MC

Intermediate motor Cars for Metropolis EMU #2305~4505, 2306~4506

Alstom Sri City Andhra Pradesh, India

-

-

-

-

Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles, Spain

-

-

-

-

Urbos 100 Trams

Construcciones y Auxiiar Ferrocarriles, Spain

-

-

-

-

Coal Hopper Wagons

CRRC CSR Yangtse PRC

-

-

-

-

Twin Unit Ore Wagons 9105+10106 to 9353+10354

CRRC Qiqihar PRC

-

124

124

248

2TEU Container wagons 0001-0200

PRC

-

-

200

200

2 TEU Container Wagons

Rail First Isslington WS SA

-

-

-

-

Cement Hopper Wagons #019-025

CRRC Shenyang PRC

Sydney Light Rail (Transport for NSW) 1435

3

Urbos 100 Trams

Parramatta Light Rail (Transport for NSW) 1435

13

FREIGHT WAGONS Bravus Mining & Resources 1067

1360

Fortescue Metals Group 1435

248

Qube 1435

200

SQSY

Rail First Asset Management 1435 Tasmanian Rail 1067

7

THFY

No advice

TRACK MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT ARC Indrastructure Dual

1

Track Geometry Car

1

-

-

1

Aurizion Infrastructure Services Group 1435

1

SLM

Track Layer # 4

Aurizon Workshops Redbank Qld

No advice

1067

2

MMA

Refurbish Ballast Tamper Mk III # 49

QR Workshops Maryborough Qld

No advice

1067

1

MMY

Ballast Cleaner Unit FRM 902

Plasser Australia NSW

No advice

1067

1

MMY

Ballast Cleaner Hopper Wagon ( MFS 40)

Plasser Australia NSW

No advice

Rail Guidance System for 10 Trucks

HMA Techniplan Qld

No advice

2

ACM 105SP Hi-rail Overhead Wiring vehicle

Aust Crane & Machine Vic

No advice

1435

1

REG012X - Plasser Theurer SSP303 Ballast Regulator

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

TAMP009 - Plasser Cat Line Tamper 09-32

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

REG010X - Kershaw 0925 Ballast Regulator

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

TAMP030 - TrussType Switch & Prod Turnout Tamper

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

REG006X - Kershaw KBR-875 Ballast Regulator

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

TAMP031 - TrussType Switch & Prod Turnout Tamper

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

1435

1

REG007X - Kershaw KBR-875 Ballast Regulator

Select Plant Hire (Laing O'Rourke) - Maitland

No advice

Rebuild SMD 80G Sleeper Laying Machine (formerly TfNSW RTX 1)

Martinus Rail Workshops Qld

-

-

-

-

Ballast Hopper Wagons Type KZ78-AUS #0001-0040

CRRC Meishan PRC

-

Completed

-

40

John Holland 1435

10

KDR Yarra Tram 1435 Laing O'Rouke

Martinus Rail 1067

1

1067

40

1067

26

Sleeper Wagons former UK container wagons

Ex Kiwi Rail

-

Completed

-

26

1067

16

Rail Wagons former UK container wagons

Ex Kiwi Rail

-

Completed

-

16

44

PHWH

RAILWAY DIGEST

Gauge mm

Qty

Class

Description

Builder - Location

Jan 21 Feb 21 Mar 21 Total

TRACK MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT (CONTINUED) Queensland Rail 1067

2

Refurbish TR-10 Sleeper Inserter/Extractor

HARSCO Rail Brendale Qld

1067

2

MMB

PBR 500 Ballast Regulator #MMB 068-069

Plasser Australia NSW

-

No advice -

-

-

1067

2

MMA

08-12 Split Head Tamper #MMA 085, 086

Plasser Australia NSW

-

-

-

-

Track Recording Car IDV 001

Mermec Italia

-

No advice

-

-

PTA Transperth 1067

1

Swietelsky Rail Australia 1435

1

09-3X Tamper

Plasser Linz Austria

-

No advice

-

-

1435

1

SSP 303 Ballast Regulator

Plasser Linz Austria

-

No advice

-

-

Hirail Overhead Wiring vehicles

France

No advice

Track Carrier Wagon # 40051-40052

Rail First Asset Management SA

No advice

1

Sydney Trains 1435

4

-

1435

2

NDZF

West Coast Wilderness Railway 1067

1

QO

Ballast Hopper Wagon

Hire from Don River Railway

1

-

-

1067

1

QQ

Ballast Hopper Wagon

Purchased from Tasrail

1

-

-

1 E&OE

Qube train 3164 on Saturday 24 April was made up of 39 wagons each with two Viterra grain containers. Apart from CQKY 1001, the leading wagon which was a conversion from an oil tank wagon, the remaining wagons were new SQSY wagons. The illustration shows SQSY 0155 and SQSY 0195 at the top bridge on Cullerin Bank. Peter Clark

On Friday 7 May, D sets D5/ D105 were stabled in the yard at Lithgow, having arrived there on Tuesday 20 April as G623 empty cars. With the network currently experiencing a storage capacity problem, these sets seem likely to reside here for the foreseeable future. The introduction of the D sets into regular service has been delayed by an ongoing dispute between the government and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union regarding the duties of the guard, with the trains having been designed for driver only operation. The name given to the D Sets, Mariyung, means ‘Emu’ in the Dharug language. Effie Kelly

JUNE 2021

45

Railcars of the Pichi Richi Railway: Part 2 Caleb Jenkins In this two-part series we look at the historic railcars owned and operated by the Pichi Richi Railway. In Part one, in the February 2021 issue, we profiled Kitson Steam Coach number 1 and Brill Railcar 106.

Air-Conditioned Rail Travel in South Australia: The 1950s saw vast modernisation schemes for many railway systems worldwide. Increased comfort was at the forefront of railway companies looking for a modern experience for passengers. Air conditioning was the solution and no longer did Australians have to deal with the harsh temperatures during summer; in places like the Far North of South Australia, the summer heat was unbearable, with some localities reaching the 50-degree mark.

In 1937, Australia welcomed its first air-conditioned passenger train, the Silver City Comet, that ran from Parkes to the mining town of Broken Hill in far western New South Wales. It would be over a decade later when Australia’s first Commonwealth-owned and operated government railway line would embrace air-conditioning in its rail fleet – the NDH/ DH railcar type, a gauge-convertible railcar that appeared in 1954 to service the Commonwealth Railways narrow-gauge corridor between Quorn and Marree.

Numbering six, and built by the Gloucester Railway Carriage & Wagon Company located in the Cotswolds district of Gloucestershire, UK, the Gloucester railcars entered service at the height of summer, in December 1954.

Above: An NDH Railcar in Pichi Richi Pass in 1956. Courtesy of Hart/ Murray Billet Collections Right: An NDH Railcar in Quorn Yard, 1956.

Courtesy of Hart/Murray Billet Collections

46

RAILWAY DIGEST

NDH Railcar 5 in Quorn Station Yard before transfer to NAR North Australia Railway in 1956.

Courtesy of Hart/Murray Billet Collections

1955 14.10.1957

5.4.1963 4.10.1963 27.8.1965 8.1971 8.6.1977 – –

Entered service as “NDH 3”.

Converted to first class “ADH 3” sitting car for use on the standard gauge – fitted with Westwaggon bogies.

Converted from standard to narrow gauge and recoded as ‘NBDH 3’.

Returned to standard gauge Converted to narrow gauge Spare at Marree.

Condemned at Port Augusta.

To Homestead Park, Port Augusta.

To ‘Pichi Richi Railway’ – moved to Quorn

NDH3 has had a varied history with the Commonwealth Railways and unfortunately, that brings some tedious challenges with it for the eventual restoration of this vehicle.

However, it is not ‘Mission Impossible’, and a Commonwealth Railways railcar representative would be a welcome addition to the roster.

It is interesting to note that whilst Commonwealth Railways narrow-gauge diesels were Sulzer powered, these railcars were powered by General Motors (GM) 6/41 x 2 engine, outputting about 140 horsepower with a starting tractive effort of 10,080lbs and a maximum speed of 50mph (80.4km/h). The standard gauge diesel locomotive fleet of the Commonwealth Railways also utilised a General Motors (GM) power plant, which powered the iconic GM Class locomotives, with many of these units still serving on the mainline even today.

Each railcar was approximately 60 feet (18.2 metres) long and housed 34 first-class and 16-second class passengers, which in addition to air-conditioning, featured luxuries such as reclining chairs, reading lamps and iced water dispensers. A far cry from the earlier days on the narrow gauge where passengers battled with sand storms engulfing the cabin in sand, sweltering conditions inside wooden carriages, rigid and uncomfortable sit-up accommodation.

However, the service between Quorn and Marree only lasted until 1956, when the corridor between Hawker and Marree was closed, thus requiring only one NDH to operate the line. A road service introduced in mid-January 1957 made the NDH’s redundant and, alas, they became trailer cars on the standard gauge.

Only four have been saved, with NDH1 and NDH4 thought to have been scrapped in the early 1980s.

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They were welcomed by passengers, who had for years battled with extreme temperatures, finally given a pleasant means of transport to cross one of the harshest lands in the world.

Four railcars worked the Central Australia Railway between Port Augusta and Marree, whilst NDH 5 and NDH 6 went to the North Australia Railway to work the line between Larrimah and Darwin.

The Pichi Richi Railway has retained one such example of this railcar for preservation, NDH3, which entered service in 1955.

NDH3 has been subject to various modifications throughout its life span. Below is a table of changes to gauge and classification.

(Courtesy of comrails.com)

NDH 3 on Road 1 of the Carriage Shed, Pichi Richi Railway Workshops Quorn, 2021.

Courtesy of Caleb’s Rail Films Collection

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47

Zig Zag Ascending Chris Walters

J

ust outside the periphery of the rattle and hum of Sydney, there has been a quiet war raging in the Lithgow Valley for the last ten years. The 21st Century has been a cruel arena for rail heritage and preservation to play in, what with the rising cost of public liability insurance premiums, falling numbers of willing and able volunteers and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. For the Zig Zag Railway, the period has been a war against these things and more. But now, in winter 2021, things are really starting to heat up in Lithgow.

The Lithgow Zig Zag was once part of the Great Western Railway, perhaps better known today as the Main Western Line, between Sydney and Dubbo. Opening on 19 October 1869, the Great Western Railway employed not one, but two Zig Zags – some of the world’s earliest operational examples of this manner of engineering – to ascend (Lapstone) and then descend (Lithgow) the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. The ‘zig zag’ concept – known overseas as the ‘switchback’ – is best described as a literal ‘Z’ carved into the side of the mountain to allow a railway line to ascend to the first reversing station/siding, with a ‘middle road’ then heading in the opposite direction up to a second, or ‘top’ reversing station/siding. There the line ‘180’s’ a second time to continue across the mountains. The purpose of all this? To allow a railway to ascend otherwise insurmountable grades over a short geographical distance by ‘stretching’ the route to ease the gradient for conventional (i.e. non-rack or cable fitted) trains.

Now while such a railway made sense during the early days of railway construction, making it possible for trains to climb steep mountain grades, it wouldn’t allow those trains to do so quickly or in significant numbers.

Furthermore, the compact nature of the ‘switchbacks’ severely limited the length of trains, and so the Great Western Railway’s two zig zags quickly became bottle-necks. Ultimately both would only see service for a few decades before being bypassed. The middle and top roads of the Lithgow Zig Zag were replaced by a new double-track main line constructed between Clarence and the bottom road by a Ten Tunnel deviation. And so the Lithgow Zig Zag closed on 16 October 1910.

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The trio of spectacular sandstone viaducts and two single track tunnels bypassed by the new line fell into disuse for the next seven decades until a campaign to reopen the old route as a tourist railway began during the late 1960s. Denied access to former NSW Government Railways locomotives and rolling stock, the group instead put together a collection of narrow-gauge vehicles from Queensland and South Australia and restored the Middle Road to operation in 1975 as the Lithgow Zig Zag tourist railway. The line along Top Road to Clarence was later reopened, in 1988, by which time the Zig Zag was becoming one of the star tourist attractions in the Blue Mountains and one of the state’s most popular heritage railways. Over ensuing years, the operation reached a point where it could field three steam engines at a time, one or two diesel locomotives and a rail motor set. The railway, for a time, was even operating daily thanks to the availability of its former QR 2000 Class rail motor. And yet, this level of activity and popularity became difficult to sustain, and the railway became a bit of a victim of its own success. By late-2011 the Office of the Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) had identified a number of key deficiencies in the operation such that a renewal of its Rail Transport Operator accreditation was held off. Steam operations ended in December 2011 and all passenger services ceased in mid-2012.

The close-down was always intended to be temporary – the group planned to essentially go away, get its house in order, and come back rejuvenated and a better railway. However, the State Mine Bushfire of late 2013 swept through the valley and destroyed a significant portion of the infrastructure with several items of stored rolling stock also sustaining severe damage. The fires were later followed by heavy rains, which caused wash-aways and erosion damage. The re-opening, alas, would have to wait.

In the decade since, the Zig Zag Railway certainly has taken a deep dive into the rejuvenation pool. The rebuild – for it has proven to be a task of that magnitude – has occurred on many levels. Firstly, the Co-operative behind the railway has undergone a complete reorganisation with some new faces joining the team, while the team structure has been streamlined to realise a more organized and sustainable deployment of skills, talent and leadership. Secondly, the group took on the task of

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addressing the issues raised by ONRSR while also attempting to repair and restore the railway following the 2013 devastation.

On 2 July 2016 rail operations were formally recommenced following a Special General Meeting with the operation of section car M01 from Bottom Points through to Top Points. A couple of months later on 18 September 2016, former Emu Bay Railway (Tasmania) diesel-hydraulic locomotive 1004 was run along this same section.

Attention then turned to the arduous task of restoring the longer section through from Top Points to Clarence Station, which required the replacement of over 3,000 wooden railway sleepers.

On the final day of spring 2018, section car M01 was able to make it all the way through to Clarence for the first time since the line had closed in 2012. Two months after this, the importance of the railway – in terms of its historic significance and tourist potential – was recognised in a $2.3 million grant announced by Premier Gladys Berejiklian at Clarence on 29 November 2018. This was followed by a NSW Government Heritage Grant of $150,000 in May 2019, and a Crown Reserves Improvement Fund grant of $268,000 six months later. The influx of investment certainly helped and when, on 17 October 2019 Lithgow celebrated 150 years since the opening of the railway into nearby Bowenfels, former Queensland Railways’ AC16 Class 2-8-2, 218A, was lit up for a day in steam at Bottom Points for

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the visiting public to see. The return of the Zig Zag was something now everyone could sense was coming nearer and nearer.

Ups are often followed by downs, however, and the Gospers Mountain Bushfire of December 2019/January 2020 – the largest bushfire ever recorded in Australia – definitely qualified. Although one of the most devastating fires ever witnessed in NSW, on this particular occasion, the damage to the Zig Zag Railway was not as severe. However, the fire was again followed by significant rain falls and more wash-aways, and the dramatic opening act of 2020 was enough to again set re-opening plans back, but then this group are nothing if not tenacious.

It will surprise readers not at all that there was cause for celebration on 24 July 2020, when a crew of ZZR officers and staff successfully operated locomotive 1004 from Bottom Points all the way through to Clarence Station – the first train movement along the full length of the railway since 2012. While the line was now operable, work was also progressing on the locomotives and rolling stock. An overhaul of 218A was competed later that year and on 25 November it was unveiled in a new green livery. Restoration work on a number of the ex-QR ‘Evans’ cars along with some of the former South Australian Railways carriages has also been completed, giving the railway a fleet of operating stock once more.

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Left (page 48): Storming around Mount Sinai, former Queensland Railways 2-8-2 218A seems unaware there is a steep grade to contend with as it leads the first load trial of the day en-route from Bottom Points to Clarence, Saturday 8 May. Chris Walters Right: The Gospers Mountain Fire destroyed a number of structures around Clarence Station on 21 December 2019 but stopped short of the station itself. However, as can be seen from this view 18 months later, on 8 May 2021, it was a very near thing. Chris Walters Below: It is Friday 24 July 2020 as former Emu Bay Railway diesel-hydraulic 1004 ascends the spectacular Top Road on NSW’s Zig Zag Railway – the first ‘heavy rail’ movement between Top Points and Clarence in several years. Since the transfer of ex-Mount Isa Mines Comeng 0-6-0 5802 to the Queensland Pioneer Steam Railway near Ipswich in November 2020, 1004 is the only operable diesel locomotive in the ZZR fleet.

Andrew Clarke, courtesy ZZR

49

A crowd of volunteers gathered on 18 January 2020 to recommence restoration work following the Gospers Mountain Fire. This was the first opportunity the group had to access sites since the fire – and it rained! Courtesy ZZR

All of it. All the struggles, re-evaluation, ditch digging, track building, bolt tightening – all of it came to a triumphant crescendo on a typically brisk late-autumn Thursday on 6 May 2021 when AC16 Class engine 218A – aka ‘The Yank’ – emerged from Bottom Points Depot, in which it has effectively been caged for nearly a decade, and steamed up the mountain to Clarence. With this trial proving a success, 218A was the following day given a ‘goods load’ of six open and ballast wagons and repeated the mountain ascent, again passing the test. For the next run, the loading was to be increased.

The following morning at around nine thirty, this author pulled the car off Chifley Road at Mount Sinai, just down the hill from Clarence, and stepped out into soft sunlight and, aside from the occasional passing car, crisp, silent mountain air. I’d visited this location for photography a number of times over the years, but it had been a decade since I’d had any reason to return.

After a few minutes that familiar bark began to dance lightly, high up in the air, away, off to the north. A whistle, and then a longer, more urgent whistle. Then the bark grew in both decibel and beat, slowly at first, and then louder and louder. The sound ascended and drifted out, over the top of Mount Sinai itself, and then suddenly swung to the south, just around the bend. And then the bark became a drum

Lithgow Railway Workshop

beat, faster and faster. This train and its crew were out to prove a point.

Around the curve it came, literally charging me. And then it was on me, passing me, and then on up the steep grade. The small crowd of high vis vests in the cab waved and looked in their element. Zig Zag was back!

That evening the group issued a statement on its Facebook page: For the first time since the 7th of December 2011, the sounds of steam have returned to Zig Zag Railway. 218A is undergoing load trials to test repairs following a major overhaul. We would like to thank our dedicated volunteers, industry partners and Paul Toole MP for this major achievement. #zigzagrailway #gettingclosereveryday #majorachievement The event was also featured in the Channel 9 Sydney News that night, the report highlighting the obstacles that the Zig Zag group have had to contend with: fire, flood, pandemic.

With this achievement under its belt, the Zig Zag Railway can now set its sights on readying itself for the day – intended to be later this year – when it welcomes a tourist market now extremely hungry for local attractions and adventure back aboard its trains.

State Mine Heritage Park & Railway

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© 2021 BB/RailwayDigest

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PRESERV ATIO N & T OU RI ST

Right: The webcam between Mount Sinai and Clarence Tunnel captures a front of the Gospers Mountain fire licking at the railway on 21 December 2019. Courtesy ZZR Below: Six months prior to the 2019 bushfires, the same webcam capture this view of the then unused line beneath a blanket of snow on 4 June 2019. Courtesy ZZR Bottom: 218A arrives in Clarence during the day’s first load trial, Saturday 8 May. Chris Walters

51

Cruise Express ran the Southern Branch Lines tour in April this year, using the Rail Motor Society’s 621/721 railcar set.

Unfortunately, on Tuesday 27 April the set was involved in a collision with a truck at a level crossing at Tharbogang, not far from Griffith. Though the damage was fortunately not severe, it did put 621/721 out of action, so the remainder of the tour, to Rankin Springs, Naradhan and Lake Cargelligo, was done by bus.

However, a suitable train was organised for the return to Sydney from Cootamundra, consisting of Transport Heritage NSW’s Goodwin/Alco units 4501 and 4833 with three heritage carriages and brake van.

Left: 621/721 at Griffith after the accident on Tuesday 27 April, showing the damage sustained to the bodywork. Peter Ferguson Above: On Friday 30 April, the hastily-arranged replacement train is seen arriving at Goulburn, on its way to Sydney. Brendan Winkler

On Saturday 24 April, R711 Spirit of Bendigo and A² 986 lead Steamrail Victoria’s Eureka Express through the Werribee Gorge State Park, nearing the top of the 1 in 48 Ingliston Bank. The pair of express passenger locos put on an impressive show as they lifted their train away from a cross at Bank Box Loop. Martin Bennet

52

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Above: On Victoria’s Bellarine Railway, former South African Railways 24 class 2-8-4 number 3620, built in 1949 by North British Locomotive Company, is coupled to a rake of former Queensland Railways M series ‘Lander carriages forming The Q train dining experience, as it prepares to leave Queenscliff station with the lunch train service on Saturday 8 May. Purchased from the SAR in 1997

by Ian Welch for Mainline Steam Trust, Auckland, New Zealand, and restored to working order in its Parnell Workshops, 3620 was sold to Cairns-Kuranda Steam Railway in 2000 to operate tourist train services to Kuranda using ex-QR SX carriages. Unfortunately, this failed to ‘pay its way’ and the loco was stored at Cairns until early 2020 when a rental agreement was reached with the operators of The Q train.

Due to the pandemic, operations could not begin until April 2021. James Chuang Below: NSW Rail Museum locomotives 4201, 4306 and 4490 look very sharp and resplendent, like the day they were delivered, as they pause in the Bogan Gate NSW refuge road with the six day ‘Anzac Aurora Rail Tour’ to allow Pacific National’s 3AB6 intermodal to cross, with solo NR59 in charge. The tour is on the Orange NSW to Euabalong West leg of the program and will return to Orange that evening.

The driver, Phil from Narromine, stands proudly with his gleaming charges, Phil recently retired from NSW TrainLink after driving the XPT and Xplorer sets out of Dubbo NSW, so this train is well within his stride along a road he is well acquainted with. Dave Haden

53

Former WAGR W Class 4-8-2 W916 (dressed up as Silverton Tramway W22) at Quorn on the Pichi Richi Railway on Easter Monday 5 April. The very long train was necessary to accommodate the Easter crowds while maintaining the necessary social distancing in force at the time. Peter Lynch

As reported in last month’s RD (page 14) and on page 11 of this issue, Aurizon has returned to grain haulage in Queensland, so a number of grain wagons had to be retrieved from storage at Gympie. On Wednesday 24 February, Mary Valley Rattler diesel electric locomotive DEL 1632 arrives in Gympie yard after transferring Aurizon grain wagons from Monkland with the assistance of C17 4-8-0 967 (out of sight at the rear). Tony Hallam

54

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Outside the Large Erecting Shop at the former Eveleigh Workshops on Saturday night 13 March heritage steam locomotives 3237, 3801 and 5917 and heritage diesel unit 4490 have a rest between assignments. Evan Deacon

A2 986 and K153 are seen at Yarraville in top-and-tail mode working a transfer movement from Newport to Moorabbin to operate shuttle services for there to Kananook on Saturday 10 April. Scott Mitchell

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55

3801’s return to heritage operation this year following a long hiatus has created a huge amount of interest, and the big green machine has rapidly become a favourite subject of rail photographers. Here are just a few recent images...

Above: 3801, assisted by 4201 and 4501 (out of frame), drops down the grade towards Harden from Demondrille with 6S60 Transport Heritage NSW Special returning from Junee on Monday 12 April. Dennis Forbes Left: After changing direction via the balloon loop at Clarence Colliery, 3801 reverses into Mount Victoria storage sidings on Saturday afternoon 8 May, as a V Set looks on.

There it will be reunited with its train and will become 6S64 Hydro Express, heading back to Medlow Bath to pick up passengers who have been enjoying high tea at the Hydro Majestic Hotel, then a further pick up at Katoomba before returning to Sydney Central Station. Josh Noonan Right (page 57): The final event in 3801’s tour of southern NSW in April was a visit to Wagga Wagga on the weekend of 10th/11th, where with the assistance of 4501, a series of shuttle trains were operated between there and Uranquinty.

On Sunday 11 April a shuttle train loading up at Wagga Wagga is overtaken by Pacific National’s Port Kembla to Melbourne steel train, headed by NR44, 9323 and NR79.

Andrew Smith

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57

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PR ES ER VATI O N & TOU R I S T

The Picnic Train, with Baldwin 2-8-2 5917 leading and Goninan/Caterpillar unit 4716 trailing, approaches the Pothana Lane bridge at Belford, just north of Branxton Station, heading to Werris Creek, on Saturday 3 April. Robert Rouse

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No Smoking

58

Stephen Miller is quite right to suggest that it was not my intention to imply that the 48 class is inefficient. Like many older locomotives the 48 class lacks some of the features that ensure that the air supply is sufficient for the amount of fuel being injected. Under ideal conditions the exhaust will be reasonably pale, but the governor has no feedback about the air input and if there is a shortfall some of the carbon content of the fuel will not be burnt and will be emitted as smoke.

Stephen goes on to make the false claim that the EMD two-stroke engine does not have a camshaft. In fact, the 567, 645 and 710 series of engines all have overhead camshafts for each bank of cylinders. These are “uniflow” two-stroke engines that have the air supplied under pressure through ports in the lower part of the cylinder that are uncovered when the piston is near the bottom of the power stroke. Exhaust valves in the cylinder head are opened by the camshaft. The camshaft also operates a unit injector. There are other forms of two-stroke engine that do not have any intake or exhaust valves but as far as I am aware there are none in any locomotive in Australia and overseas examples have become virtually extinct. The

Napier DELTIC engine is one example.

Stephen’s suggestion that a four-stroke engine is more efficient than a two-stroke engine is also open to question. Diesel engine manufacturers have been under increasing pressure to reduce fuel consumption and to also cut emissions such as oxides of nitrogen, NOx. The standard measure of efficiency is the fuel input required to generate one kW for every hour of operation, usually stated in g/kWhr. Some engine manufacturers do not publish fuel consumption details but by combining data from various sources the EMD 710 two-stroke engine appears to require about 190g/kWhr at full load. Contrast that with the PAXMAN VP 185 four-stroke engine, installed in the XPT, that has a published fuel consumption of 211g/ kWhr despite the complication of two stage turbo charging.

The PAXMAN engine has the disadvantage that it runs faster, and this is also partly why the four-stroke MTU engine used in some locomotives requires 208g/kWhr at full load. Other four stroke engines that operate at lower speed than these examples are probably competitive or possible slightly better than the EMD two stroke, but I do not have directly comparable data.

None of the above figures comes close to matching the fuel economy of the 2,500 tonne Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C uniflow two-stroke engine used in container ships. This only requires a miserly 160g/kWhr. Colin Butcher Razorback, NSW

No Smoking Just a comment on Stephen Miller’s piece in RD April 2021.

Stephen often has some good contributions to make, as he does in this letter, but he is not quite accurate in his assessment of two cycle and four cycle mid-size diesel engines.

He seems to assume that EMD two strokes operated like small lawn mower/power tools or little marine engines – i.e. with cylinder port intake and exhaust (with crankcase compression) – they did not. These engines (of various sizes), were used in locomotives, US submarines and surface ships, gen-sets, earthmoving and countless other operations since the 1930s, but they all had similar construction, which did give end to end scavenging and new air unlike the inefficient loop of the small two strokes. They certainly did have camshafts – usually two per bank. One drove the mechanical centre-head injectors, the other drove the exhaust valves (usually

four) surrounding the centre injector in the head, by overhead rockers. Intake was provided from cylinder wall ports at the bottom of the stroke and precompression by one or more roots blowers (with later models of 645 and 710s plus the smaller 71s, 92s and 149s adding turbo-charging and intercooling).

The two strokes were preferred because of their higher power to weight ratio and faster engine acceleration when compared with the four cycles of the time.

My son, a coach driver in the United States, said many drivers preferred the GM 92s over the competing Volvos, Cummins, Cats, Mercs and even GM’s four cycle replacement (the Series 60), because of their spritely performance. But the inherent lack of distinctive exhaust and intake strokes with the commensurate very short exhaust, scavenging and intake period meant that they would lose-out to the four cycles on fuel economy and ultimately efficiency, and it was their inability to equal the rapidly improving and developing four cycles on the increasingly demanding pollution standards that did them in.

The two strokes already had common-rail fuel supply, and with electronic fuel injection replacing mechanical would also see improvement to fuel and

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Kerry Hortop Morisset Park, NSW

Port of Newcastle David Robertson in his letter published in the April 2021 issue made the sensible observations that an export container port at Newcastle would potentially reduce costs for many shippers, reduce rail network congestion, and provide competition to Port Botany. However, the NSW State Government, when it sold the Port of Newcastle in 2014, incorporated in the agreement a cap on container movements through the port, requiring the new owner to pay a fee on each container shipment above a set limit. This fee was a form of compensation for potential business loss by the owners of the container terminals at Port Botany and Port Kembla.

Recently, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has taken action in the Federal Court against this lease arrangement, as it considers that it is anti-competitive. The court outcome should be known this year.

With thermal coal exports likely to decline in the longer term, the port operator and the City of Newcastle would certainly welcome new port activities.

Anthony McIlwain via email

The Second Age of Rail A wonderful tome, ‘The Second Age of Rail’ by Murray Hughes should be required reading by all railfans/passengers in this country. It was embarrassing to read just how pathetic our passenger trains are, compared with those in tiny countries such as South Korea, Morocco and Taiwan, all of which have had high speed trains for years. He gives detailed accounts, with great maps and photographs of high speed trains averaging 200-300 km/h in more than a dozen countries. Those in China, between Beijing and Shanghai, covered the distance at 487 km/h in 2011. A small chapter on the USA, which pioneered long distance trains in the 30s – 70s have their Acela fleet of fast trains that cover the NorthEast-Corridor (Boston-New York-Washington) in 6½ hours. It is estimated that by 2040, high speed trains could do it in three hours. The Obama Administration tried a number of things to begin and finance high speed trains in Texas, Florida and California, but all failed, thanks to Trump’s dictum against that. Hughes also claims that Americans prefer to fly long distances, as train travel is for the poor and is considered a thing of the past.

Still, we are way behind the Americans. I once travelled on the Tilt Train from Townsville to Cairns (340 km) and the running time was much the same as that of the Sunlander, eight hours; barely reaching 80 km/h. Today, the Sydney-Melbourne XPT service takes 11 hours to cover the 880 kilometres. Sydney-Coffs Harbour (650 km) takes eight

hours. We do have one up on the Americans. They have never been able to travel across their country in one train, as we can.

The Indian Pacific (East-West) or The Ghan, (North-South), but these are “cruise” trains, not remotely high speed.

Russians can comfortably travel on their prime route, St Petersburg-Moscow (approx 670km) in a touch less than four hours. Paris-Bordeaux (approx 550Km) in two hours flat. And don’t forget the French TGVs have been scooting across their landscapes since 1981 and Japan’s Bullet Train since 1964.

Incidentally, it would not amuse Mr Hughes to know that an obvious typo in his last chapter (15) is repeated over five pages.

Is proof-reading a dead art?

Noel Robertson Nambucca Heads, NSW

NSW Regional infrastructure update John Hoyle’s summary of improvements to NSW and other rural freight lines (RD, May 2021) was outstanding analysis.

Intelligent planning can lead to longer-term rail network benefits, as we see in NSW.

We won’t know until December, but rainfall to mid-May in much of NSW augers well for a reasonable winter crop harvest. Victorian grain growers need more rain.

Only a super-optimist would predict another bumper crop for both states.

If the harvest is not a wipe out, this will see companies like GrainCorp, AWB/Cargills and Emerald Grain busy into 2022, benefiting rail operators Aurizon, PN, SSR and Watco.

While Australia’s grain growers are ‘best in class’ at dryland farming, it is difficult on a standalone basis to justify investing in new locos and wagons specifically for grain traffic given the unpredictability of crops. Port Kembla did not export grain for at least two years prior to the great 2020-21 harvest.

My prayers as 2021 progresses are for a 2021 winter crop that meets the need of Allied Mills, Manildra and Weston Milling while being sufficient for some exports that are carried to port the safest way – by rail.

Edmund Carew Windsor, Victoria

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pollution results but not enough to beat the rapidly developing four strokes.

By the way, the largest diesel engine in the world (at least up until a few years ago) —the Wartsila 96 is a two stroke!

Catchpoints In the May issue of RD, in the photo on page 59, 3801 is on the Main line at the Up end junction of the new Arrival Road that was provided for the Ettamogah Rail Hub. It is approaching the Tynan Road level crossing with the train heading towards Gerogery South, before returning to Albury.

The de-commissioned Table Top crossing loop is further towards Sydney in the Up direction across Tynan Road.

This month includes: Lonely Sentinel, The Brookton Signal Cabin Story The Comeng Bids for the 81 and BL Classes Commonwealth vs State, Billy Hughes Meets Egg

JUNE 2021

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On Sunday 21 February at 1347hrs, SSR locomotives 4910, 48s34, 48s28, 869, and BRM002 bring a loaded grain train through Cootamundra West, before swinging north onto the main line. Steve Munro

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by B. Phippen 336pp. $50

JUNE 2021

A GUIDE TO AUSTRALASIAN LOCOMOTION 3RD EDITION 2020 Edition only $39 2020 Edition + yearly update at reduced price $55

THE SPIRIT OF PROGRESS

by C. Banger and P. Dunn 376pp. $79

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FOR ALL WHO ARE INTERESTED IN RAILWAYS

NEW !

DATE COMING

Inaugural 2021 Tour, 10 Day Grand Circle 3 State Tour in 621/721. BOOKED OUT

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2021 Tour Calendar Our year ahead in Tours is shaping up to be a very exciting year with plenty of variety on offer.

It is important to get in early and book as tours do sell out quickly.

Our Tours brochure and booking forms are available on the website or by contacting the office.

5 Day Queens Birthday Weekend Tour.

11-15 Binnaway, Coonabarabran, JUNE Gwabegar, Dubbo.

Last minute bookings being accepted A look at Recent Historic Railway Footage in a presentation at the 10 Auchmuty Library at JULY Newcastle University and a William IV Newcastle Harbour Cruise. bookings still available Two Day Weekend Tour, 7-8 Looking at the Mines and AUG Lines of Newcastle and its Inner Suburbs with Ed Tonks bookings still available A re-creation of the Orange Day Train, 6 1 T C O travelling in Heritage Carriages hauled by 42101. NEW!

LATE 402 Club, 5 Day Rail Tour to NOV Portland, Victoria. NEW! MAR Reverse 10 Day Grand Circle 2022 3 State Tour in 621/721. NEW!

ALL BOOKINGS NEED TO BE MADE THROUGH THE ARHS OFFICE

For further information on Tours and Bookings please contact: ARHSnsw Tours on 02 8394 9019 or 0428 333 443 Note - All Minors need to be accompanied by Parents or Guardians on all Tours.

ARHS (NSW) is not responsible for last minute change of locomotives or rail motor or destination by the train operator.

In the event of cancellation due to any variations to imposed Covid -19 restrictions, you will receive a full refund.

ARHS tours will comply with all Covid 19 social distancing requirements and conditions.

Refunds: up to 30 days prior – 100%; less than 30 days to 7 days – 90%; less than 7 days- Regret NO REFUND