Re: 520 or 621

[Neil Waller <nwaller@dehaa.sa.gov.au>]

Jo & Paul wrote:
> 
> Thanks to you for your perfered loco ,As I thought 621 is still the
> people favorite in the Steamranger fleet.
> As to some responses !   520 was built to be converted to SG.

At the moment 520 works and 621 is down for the count as far as I know (Bob
Green can correct me).   Any SG conversion might make more sense if it were to
621 - it would make its restoration more expensive but it would not leave
StreamRanger without "big" power on the Victor Harbour line.

It restoration is required why not Port Dock's Garratt?   These where built to
be guage convertable between NG, SG and BG.

Anything is possible with the appropriate amount of money.   Which is the catch,
of course!

> As for the cockle train the tourist are already there.

It could run both days in the week end and tie in more closely with Goolwa
Cruises.   And what about a "commuter" service with a redhen every day?   Goolwa
to Victor in the morning and return in the evening.

> Getting back to running SG 520 trains there is not many facilities
> left in SA and there does not seem to be the huge support that there
> is in other states both from the public and well the last rail firm we dealt
> with was mainly AN.
> There has not even been a train trip of any extent on SG in SA by any
> organisation ,
> 

A Murray Lands tour would be good - GSR seem to have rolling stock that hasn't
turned a wheel for years.   The train could be called the Grafitti Express.  
Perhaps ASR's 961 and the Commonwealth's GM1 could be used.

GM1 is getting on towards 50 years old after all.

-- 
Neil Waller	(nwaller@denr.sa.gov.au)
Department of Environment Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs
Telephone:	Oz: (08) 8204 9218; International: (618) 8204 9218
Mail:		GPO Box 1047, ADELAIDE 5001     Australia

Unless explicitly attributed, the opinions expressed are personal
and not those of DEHAA or the South Australian Government.