Re: Alice Springs, 14-15/2

["Alan Thompson" <athomp@speedlink.com.au>]

Aus loco discussion mailing list

THE ONLY GOOD ALCO IS A DEAD ALCO!
Alan
----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Donaghy <PeterDo@als.com.au>
To: 'Ausloco' <Ausloco@listbot.com>; 'Derek Rogers' <dekrogers@bigpond.com>;
'Rod Smith' <rodsmith@werple.net.au>; 'Mark Carter'
<rail2000@adelaide.on.net>; Stephen Donaghy (E-mail)
<sdonaghy@colonial.com.au>
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2000 9:36 AM
Subject: Alice Springs, 14-15/2


> Aus loco discussion mailing list
>
> I received a message from Mark Carter yesterday afternoon that an ALF
> and a 600 were running a ballast to Alice to repair the track damage.
> ETA was around 1700, but I checked with the NR office here at 1530 and
> was told it hadn't long crossed yesterday morning's 2LA6N departure, and
> was not expected in until around midnight (assumed Adelaide time).  At
> 2300 I drove down to check the yard and found this train near the
> loco-servicing / Ghan area: ALF21 and dead-attached 603 with a generator
> flat, crew car, two plough wagons and 21x AHWF empty ballast hoppers.
> The locos had already run around and turned.  ALF21 was in high idle - a
> lovely sound after all of these "silent" NRs, and unspoilt by 603 with
> its "un-tuned" ALCO splutter (how many bites will this get?).  Yard
> staff checked the bogies, brakes, etc by torchlight, and just before
> midnight, unlocked the track block at the yard entrance.  The ALF
> dropped back to low idle for a minute or so, gave a soft, mournful blast
> of the horn on the dot of midnight and began the long trek back south.
> I paralleled the train at 40kph along Telegraph Terrace, then watched it
> crawl through Heavitree Gap at 20kph, slower than the swollen Todd River
> beside it.  A final wave and a toot from the driver as I turned around
> and drove home to bed!
>
> I heard 3LA6N depart at 0530 this morning; both NR38 and NR104 went
> south.  From the wagons around the yard yesterday afternoon, I suspect
> this train would have had many empty slots.  Three motorail wagons were
> being loaded yesterday afternoon also, and would also have gone.  News
> this morning is the road is open to cars at least to the SA border, but
> trucks and other heavy vehicles are still banned until roads are
> patched.
>
> Regards,
>
> Peter Donaghy
> Relieving Manager, Alice Springs
> ph. 08 8952 6020
> fax 08 8952 6028
>
>
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