Re: Conversion of a VR "J" class to standard gauge.

["michael pascoe" <michael_pascoe@iprimus.com.au>]

While it is sad that BG steam trains will one day have no-where to cruise,
this should not even be considered in the modernising and improvement of
railways.

I don't think the short BG line between Springhurst and Wahgunyah will ever
be Standardised, so there is one line at least the steamers can hang out.
Then again, with Uncle Toby's at the end of the line, who knows, it may
reopen one day after all.... Comments?
Michael P.


James Brook <ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
3B13179C.904E39B6@ozemail.com.au">news:3B13179C.904E39B6@ozemail.com.au...
> John Coyle wrote:
> >
> > I was amazed and very pleased to read in RD, that a VR "J" class steam
loco is
> > to be converted from broad to standard gauge. Now that most of Victoria
is to be
> > converted to standard gauge, will the remaining broad gauge in SA also
be
> > converted to standard gauge? It would be nice to see the Victor Harbour
line
> > converted to stadard gauge, too, so that tours can be operated from
Adelaide.
> > With the announcement about the "J", nothing seems out of the question!
>
> I don't know if SAR locos are gauge convertable, but can you imagine the
> cost of converting all of their locomotives and rolling stock!?!? If the
> Victor Harbour line was standardised then I wouldn't hold out much hope
> for Steamranger's survival.
>
> At the moment, SRHC's J is under restoration (involving a complete
> re-build) so they are converting it as a part of the restoration. Unless
> the Melbourne - Seymour line was converted they will still have some BG
> track to use as they gradually convert other items of rolling stock in
> the years to come.
>
> Even so, gauge conversion is not a good thing for the mainline
> preservation groups in Victoria. As each line is converted, operators
> like Steamrail and the SRHC are running out of possible destinations for
> their current locos and rolling stock (and this is on top of the
> complications and problems that privatisation has created). Although it
> is very easy to say "convert the locos and rolling stock to SG", it is a
> very expensive and hard thing to do for a non-profit volunteer
> organisation, especially when some locos like the K's aren't even
> designed for gauge conversion.
>
> --
> - James Brook -
>
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