Alice Springs, 21/1-23/1

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

Aus loco discussion mailing list

A very hot 'hello' to everyone from Centralia!

DL39 is the unit resident in Alice Springs yard - I last sighted this
unit in Melbourne on an Adelaide freight arrival on 18/12/99.  It hasn't
moved an inch in at least four days: backup unit to cover failures?  The
NRs seem to fulfil the few shunting requirements.

Fri 21/1: NR102, shut down near NR102.  NR24, shunting yard.  I assume
one of the two NRs had brought in the Ghan that morning (NR54 running
the Adelaide-bound trip).  5AL7N freight didn't run (rostered Fri
evening arrival).

Sat 22/1: NR24 (turned), NR102, DL39, AS yard, 0800.
NSU53 is static display on a length of track about 6km south of town,
with a flat wagon billboard advertising the old narrow-guage Ghan
preservation railway.  This group have ex-QR DH14 painted in AN green /
gold as a shunt unit, NSU58 and ex-WA steam W924 for train haulage,
along with NSU64 being restored (a long way off) and the shell of NSU59
out the back of their shed.  An ex-ng steam loco is displayed static -
un-numbered, as far as I could see.  Cars include several ex-sg vehicles
and ng vans and flats.  Trains generally only run between April and
October or so; very little demand in the hot months.  The trip is about
25km, to what used to be the first crossing loop south of Alice.  Both
terminals have a triangle for turning locos.

6AL7N freight arrived about 15 minutes early, at 1848 (allowing for NT
not being on daylight savings): NR53 / NR11 (back to back) / 2x Mobil
tanks / 3x 5-well sets / single flat / 2-flat / 5-flat / 2 single flats
/ 5-flat / 2-flat / 2 single flats / 2-flat / V/Line 3-flat / 3 single
flats / 5-flat / single flat / 5-flat / 5 single flats / 5-flat / 2-flat
/ single flat: =68 wagons.  There were only about 2-3 empty slots, and
13 of the 15 wells were double-stacked.  Woolworths, Toll, NQX,
Interlink were some of the containers carried.  By 1955, unloading was
well underway, using several container-lifting forklifts.

Sun 23/1: only DL39 and NR11 in the yard; NR24, 53 and 102 having left
early in the morning for Adelaide.  They couldn't have taken too many
wagons as several well sets and flats, along with the Mereenie tanks
brought in on 4AL7N on Thursday afternoon are all still here.

Regards,

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


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