A little touch of Santa Fe in Australia (long)

[Michael Kurkowski <mk@netstra.com.au>]

As it would pull into Spencer Street, platform 8, no-one would suspect that 
it would have appeared in any livery other than perhaps a VR or modified VR 
livery. What we were in fore instead was a touch of Santa Fe. 

S313 ran around her train just before 8am, and all was revealed. There she 
stood with a blue and gold version of a Santa Fe livery. Most people were 
in shock, many enjoyed it, many didn't - there were certainly mixed 
reactions. 

For the traditionalists, the thoughts must have passed through their heads 
that rail 'preservation' as we knew it was doomed. With all the mention of 
headboards, WCR liveried BK cars in Victoria, the supposed demise of wooden 
rollingstock one would only wonder. But for the range of diverse minded 
people, the initial shock most probably wore off pretty quickly, with an 
eventual liking for what was happening.

One of the five passenger cars on this train was about as close as you 
could get to original VR condition, this being the BRS. In the consist was 
an AK, BKL, BK, BRS and not to forget the Norman car. There was also a 
brief appearance of T356, while the train was being brought from Newport.

Eleven minutes late, we left Spencer Street, making up time by Essendon. At 
some places we were ahead of time from this point. The BK I resided in 
crunched and bounced around as we hit higher speeds, but I confided in 
them, knowing they weren't made out of wood [add smiley here]

[insert 2 photostops here]

At Echuca, all the gunzels, and non gunzels alike were released into the 
bustling little down. We elected for photographing two of the three RT's, 
then the three Freight Vic locos that resided. After this, moving on down 
to the historical 'port' of Echuca. Having completed a quick stay there, we  
moved on to Moama. I needed NSW (though I am visiting there in a week and a 
half).

By around 3pm, all the gunzels and non gunzels alike were rounded up once 
again for a slow trip to Bendigo, where we would speed up to Castlemaine. 
>From Castlemaine, we would once again slow down for poor track conditions 
between there and Maryborough. Oh, and did I mention that we slowed down 
for a track buckle on the Echuca-Bendigo line?

By Bendigo I was in the AK, together with a few other people. The AK car 
has certainly changed my mind on the use of K cars in tours. If we got rid 
of the dreaded BK cars, and/or converted them to BKL or AK style 
compartment cars, there would be many more happy souls. 

BK's were hired by VR in the 70's anyway, so why not have a VR livery on 
them as they did back then. Or should they remain in a livery that once 
existed on them while in real service, in SA, I don't know. Wooden E/W cars 
would still be a nice alternative though :)

[insert another couple of photostops here]

At Maryborough we next stopped. Over the radio it was heard that the stop 
was only to be 5 minutes to pick up dinner. Some daring gunzels armed with 
their cameras got out, but almost immediately got ordered back on the 
train. A few minutes later, it was heard over the radio that the stop will 
be a tad longer, and to release the gunzels once again. Gunzels and non 
gunzels alike were let off their chain once again.

Rumour had it, the delay was because the roast dinners ordered by some, had 
not arrived yet and weren't expected to arrive for a while, so the time was 
increased to about 15 minutes. The announcement then hit, we were to be 
stuck in Maryborough until after 8pm. This gave the opportunity for a few 
people and myself to run off and purchase a nice greasy dinner of KFC, and 
for other gunzels to let heads roll over this dramatic change in schedule.

After arriving back from the greaseball burger dive, I stood around outside 
along with many other gunzels (and not forgetting non gunzels) who had 
nothing better to do, having already taken their photos. A gentleman 
approached me at one point, and asked me if it was a scanner that I had in 
my hand. After answering yes, he went on to explain to me that he wanted to 
listen in and find out who the controller was at that time. He then went on 
to explain that on Monday heads were to roll in the train control 
department, because a freight was let through before us - the cause of our 
45 minute delay.

Nevertheless, we ended up leaving Maryborough around 40-45 minutes late, 
and literally flew to Ballarat, then onto Melbourne. This fairly uneventful 
leg of the journey saw the day away, with us arriving in Melbourne no more 
than about 5 minutes late. We had gained 35-40 minutes since Maryborough. 
The final photostop, which was also on this leg was cancelled, owing to how 
dark it was getting, perhaps this saved a lot of time. 

Over the day, lots of alcohol was consumed. One would wonder if alcohol 
sales for the day, were higher than the MCG in one year. One certain person 
was witnessed having a photo taken, with plastic spoons hanging out of just 
about every orifice on their head (ears, nose, mouth) - he was barely 
standing too. For many people the choice of alcoholic and non alcoholic 
accomodation was a good one.

Now for the Santa Fe livery. It was explained in detail on the notes stuck 
up at the end of each car, that this livery was only temporary, at least 
until the point that B72 was released from restoration. S313 was in 
desparate need of a new paint job, so this was to be it, for the time 
being. Once B72 is released from restoration, S313 would then go in for a 
complete overhaul, while at the same time being repainted into it's former 
VR livery. 

Having a look back at photos that other people took on the day (mine need 
to be developed yet), if you weren't preservation minded, the train looked 
great with it's consist of Santa Fe S class and Explorer liveried SA K 
cars. At least there wasn't a gigantic full frontal headboard, like the 
hissing kettles have. I can quite accept something on the side of the 
train, and maybe even the locomotive. More people see the name this way, 
too.

Regards
Michael

-- 
Michael Kurkowski
Email: mk@netstra.com.au
Website: http://www.netstra.com.au/~mk [Work being done as we speak]
ICQ: 1459118
Telephone: 0416-044-124

Children in the back seat cause accidents.
Accidents in the back seat cause children.