Long Island Freights

["Chris Brownbill" <cbrnbill@enternet.com.au>]

The Up Long Island freight passed through Carrum station this afternoon
behind six locomotives - four X class and two T class - all in equally
faded and tatty V/line orange and grey livery.  A very impressine lashup
though!

This started me wondering - whose train is this?  I know that the line to
Westernport is included in the National Rail Highway, and I know that the
steel loading is destined for interstate, and I had the impression that
this was an NRC train - but I'm not sure.

Does anyone know whether this is an NRC train on broad gauge or is it a
V/Line train.  If its an NRC train what is the haulage arrangement - does
V/Line have a contract to provide locos and drivers?  Where does the
loading go to - Port Kembla, Whyalla or Newcastle?  Are the wagons
bogie-exchanged if so where, or is the loading transshipped and does this
happen in Melbourne is it at Bandiana/Wodonga or somewhere else?  Finally,
why do they need six locos, I know steel is heavy but it wasn't that long a
train or was this an aberration?