Alice Springs, 29/2-1/3

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

Aus loco discussion mailing list

Action a-plenty last night: the driver of 3AL7N called Alice Springs
yard as he was passing Bradford St crossing, and requested immediate
access to the fuel point before his loco died.  He said the meter
registered 650 litres in the tank, but the warning light behind him had
flashed quite a few times.  I raced trackside in time to see NR55 race
in solo (even Ivar would have a chance of getting that one right!) - the
loading evidently having been dropped somewhere to help the little bit
of fuel last.

The NR pulled in at 2005, and after a drink of loco juice, departed with
a full belly at 2054, hood first to collect its consist.  The driver
described it as a "very ungainly feeling" running this way!  

On approaching one of the level crossings, the driver blew the horns,
and an anguished voice came over the radio: "Don't do that!  My
hearing's just lost 3 decibels!" - sure enough, a crew member was
stationed on the walkway at the end of the long hood to provide better
vision for the driver.  I don't know if he remained there for the entire
trip, or only to pilot the loco out of town.  NR119 didn't have this
luxury when it ran in hood first some weeks back, but the weather then
was atrocious.  Luckily it was a lovely evening last night!

I left my scanner on and was woken around 0055 this morning as the
complete train returned: NR55 / motorail / 2 x 5-well sets (all except
the last well were double-stacked) / 3-pack / flat / open wagon with
steel / LPG tank / 5 single flats / 5-pack / 3-pack / 7 single flats /
10 Mereenie tanks = 47 wagons; arrival in the yard was 0105.  Shunting
was then carried out for the next hour or so.  

Surprisingly, in light of DL39 being used to assemble the following
morning's load for a late-arriving NR last week, this didn't happen last
night.

On my way into work at 0620 this morning, NR55 was at the yard entrance,
waiting to depart on 4LA6N.  Loading visible at the front was 6 Mereenie
tanks / two double-stacked 5-wells.  My guess is 40-odd wagons all up.
Dead Loss 39 is still silent at the fuel point.

Regards,

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


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