Alice Springs, 16-17/2

[Peter Donaghy <PeterDo@als.com.au>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

A fine, sunny "good morning" to everyone!

Loading of wagons for this morning's 5LA6N was well underway by 1700
yesterday evening; six "TITAN" tanktainers which had arrived the
previous evening and not been collected had been removed and placed
against the fence.  By 1950, NR81 was shunting wagons around the yard.
By 2115, it was on the head of half a dozen or so Mereenie tanks, beside
a string of loaded container flats, including two or three
double-stacked 5-well sets.

No sign of 3AL7N arrival by 1955, so I went back home to see Maggie
Doyle written out of "Heelers" forever, then cruised once again at 2115:
still not in.  Decided to head south a bit, and as I entered Heavitree
Gap, spotted it coming in very slowly at the other end.  One very quick
3-point turn later (what double white lines?) put me ahead of it again.
Most unusual - yesterday morning's departure unit, NR119, running long
end first, so obviously a swap of units at the cross of the two trains
for some reason.  Loading was 2 black tanks - not Mobil or Mereenie / 2
x 5-well double-stacked sets / 3-pack / 5-pack / 2-pack / 2 flats /
3-pack / 5-pack with centre well (single stacked) / 2 flats / 3-pack /
5-pack / 2 x 2-packs = 46 wagons; only one empty slot on the last
5-pack.  The no 2 end horns on the loco were VERY loud, and were used
extensively at each of the three level crossings between the Gap and the
yard, due to the reduced visibility from running hood first.  Arrival
time in the yard was 2135, about 100' late.

This morning, both NR81 and NR119 have gone.

Noted on the first 5-well set of 3AL7N: some wag has selectively peeled
off bits of the corporate stickers at both ends, so the owner now is
"National Fail".

"When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane"

Regards,

Peter Donaghy
Relieving Manager, Alice Springs
ph. 08 8952 6020
fax 08 8952 6028


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