Shunting Train No.59

Shunting train No.59

A flat top T does the duties and we can see the following loading on today's No.59

From the front, we have an ELX wagon which will be shunted to the Goods Shed, followed by a M wagon for the cattle loading spot which is adjacent to the Goods Shed.  Behind this, we have a TW or oil pot.

In the next photo, we continue to see the rest of the make up for No. which is two loaded Grain wagons, followed by a tarped ELX, cement in a JX wagon and a flat wagon.  These three will be marshalled to another train later, destined further West.

The first move is to isolate the M wagon and ELX.  The M will be dropped of so we can shunt it into the appropriate location after doing a run-around.  The ELX can be shunted back to the Goods Shed.

Below: Here we see the ELX now seperated from the M wagon and will be pushed back to the G/S (Goods Shed) Road.

 Below: We now move up light to make our next move and as we can see we have the loaded Oil pot to be shunted to the oil siding.  Not sure what VR practise was for a loaded oil pot during shunting, but it could have been necessary to have a wagon between the oil pot and locomotive for safe-working purposes.

Here we see the oil wagon being shunted back onto the M Wagon and the M wagon will be pushed out the way to make room to collect the empty Oil tank and we will proceed to do a "swap" as can be seen in the next set of photos.

Below: Now we are left with the two loaded grain GJFs to shunt into the Flour mill siding.  Currently occupying the road however is an empty GH wagon which needs to be "swapped" out.

In this case, I shunted the whole train back, with Van attached! into the vacant head-shunt.  Again not sure whether this was correct practice.  I had just enough room for the move!

Now we need to pull up and collect the empty GH wagon and then push the GFJs back in.

However, we have two loaded VLX vans with bagged wheat ready for destinations East.  These will be picked up as well.

We now back onto the loaded GJFs and then place them in the appropriate siding.

This ends part 1 - to be continued.

Arthur Hays' "WestGate"

I was invited to take some footage of Arthur's Westgate layout which depicts principally QR and also some NSWGR.  Hopefully I did an appropriate job to capture this incredibly modelled railway.

The video can be viewed by clicking here.

Train Spotting

Craig's Running Session - 31 Dec 2016

This afternoon I ventured to Craig's place for a running session on his layout, Cassino.  I must say, this is the best session I have attended.  There were hardly any derailments, train break-aways, and other frustrations.
It really was a very enjoyable afternoon.  I had the pleasure of using the tiny 73 class loco to do some shunting at South Brisbane Interstate.  That was a real joy to complete.  Another job was to take the shunt train from Murwillumbah to Grafton, and shunt at various locations, picking up wagons on the way, including at Lismore and Old Casino.  Not thinking, I nearly picked up the wrong consist at Lismore and then left one wagon behind at Old Casino - I think that wagon was red-carded anyway due to coupling issues.

The best run came later, with a triple header consisting of a 48-45-48 class lashup.  This train originated at Fishermans Island and then continued south through Acacia Ridge, then to the final location of Grafton.
I had a very good run by Train Control all the way to Glenapp Loop where I was told I would be crossing a north bound freighter and what a cross it was! - As I was pulling into the loop, Barry was coming the other way with brakes on full and we crossed beautifully - with some paint coming off some of the container wagons as Barry's brakes were working on over-drive and just managed to screech to a stop!  As Anthony put it -  it was "the Cross of the century"

Afterwards, I had another cross after several nice runs through some more towns and loops.  This time I crossed Anthony on his paper train heading North at Fairy Hill.  After the cross I then brought the train down to Cassino and noticing the staff had been taken for the section ahead I had a nice break at Cassino.  This allowed me to take some snaps at the station.  I could hear the ALcos idling away as I waited line clear.  Then, the green stick (LED) was shown, meaning the section ahead was clear, notching the three beasts up to gain speed, I took the staff for the next section, slowly making my way towards our destination, Grafton.

And what a lovely experience that was - a truly wonderful experience on Cassino.  When things go right, it truly is a joy to operate on Cassino.

The above two photos show the shunting at South Brisbane Interstate using the small 73 class loco.

421 class is the motive power for the Shunt Train - here at Lismore to pick up some wagons for Grafton.

Lovely 421 class loco begins shunting at Lismore.

Triple Header for the Container Train which will head South.

Container train waiting at the Loop at Fairy Hill waiting to Cross Anthony on his Paper Train.

Waiting at Cassino for line clear as traffic is on the section ahead (Cassino - Rappville)

Session With Iain - 28 Dec 2016

Iain, whom I met at Anthony's running session, was kind enough to spend some of his time with me to run a session on my layout.
We began at about 13:30 hours and three hours later, we had completed the morning session of the timetable.

The first movement is a Light Engine from Serviceton which will provide the motive power for the Passenger ex "Dinboola".  We can see the X class positioned at the station.  The Y class shunt engine will back the passenger cars onto the X.  The passenger cars had been stabled "overnight"

With the X on road one and waiting departure time, we see the next movement arrive in the form of train No. 59 - a FAST goods from Melbourne.

The VLX box cars and wheat wagons will be shunted to the Flour Mill sidings, for the unloading of grain and loading of palletised flour.  The JX cement to the cement siding.  The other wagons will also be placed appropriately.  The shunt of this train will take up to 30 mins to complete.  (Craig will probably do in under 3 mins)

The time has come for the departure of the passenger and we see X35 leave for destinations east (Melbourne).

At about the same time, roadside goods no. 81 needs to be made up.  On this day, we have a small loading with two GYs in the consist and old Flat Top T333 doing the honours.

In the workshops, we find a SAR Guards Van (which belongs to Iain).  This created an interesting movement with the Y and Van just fitting onto the turntable.

Next on the scene, we see train no. 86, Through goods originating at Dinboola and bound for Ararat.  This is a sweeper service, collecting anything not required.

Following No. 86 we see no. 62 arrive from the west and terminate here at Dinboola.  Some loading will later continue heading east on train no. 142 Goods.

The Ararat to Serviceton Through Goods is next on the scene, today headed by a X class.  Usually, this freighter doesn't require much in the way of shunting, maybe dropping off a wagon or two.

We concluded the session with Goods No. 142, Dinboola to Ararat.  Unfortunately, the TW had left for the day so no photo was taken.

Iain did a very good job being his first time.  This morning session can be completed in about 1 hour 30 mins.

On Reflection...

On reflection, the session I had with Craig actually highlighted a few drawbacks with the Metropolitan theme and as such, I have abandoned that idea.  So it was back to thinking of what I could do with the layout I have now built.  At this point previously I would go about ripping up the layout and starting again.  However, I looked back and remembered the sessions I had with Anthony and looking back at my notes on why I had ripped up previous layouts, I had commented on the 'Dinboola" plan that staging was too short and  there was no long main line run.

Well, I thought, now I have these two short-comings rectified, why don't I go out and run the session again. I had kept the timetable in a plastic sleeve folder and begin with the first movement - a Light Engine from Serviceton to "Dinboola".  Two hours later and I couldn't bring myself out of the shed!  I was so engaged with the varied movements, and the mainline run with the odd shunting - I was having a ball!

I even found space for a turntable and a few roads.  Now, since I have staging on the lower deck, which is the longer run from top to bottom.  This is the run from "Dinboola" to Serviceton, with the much shorter run going the other way to Ararat.

So far this theme seems to be what I enjoy most so hope to stick to this concept.