Hi Frank, thanks for your comments. 🙂 PN _were_ running three XR's on grain trains up Warrenheip Bank, but that seems to have stopped. From what I hear, PN are short on BG motive power, with most of the XR fleet out of service. IMO PN are only seeing out existing BG contracts. The loss of all BG freight traffic probably wouldn't bother them as their existing trans-Australian intermodal freights and the Queensland coal traffic, combined with the NSW coal traffic and Queensland North Coast freights would no doubt more than make up for the loss of BG revenue.

Glad you enjoyed it! Not bad for mostly one day's efforts by a Mexican! 😃

Thinking about it, they're all the same vintage. The GM class date from the 1960s, as do the S class. The B class are a little older, being 1952 vintage or thereabouts. As at mid-March 2024, SSR have four ex-V/Line N class on short-term lease on the Broad Gauge, with these being additional motive power.

Thanks 💯

Glad you enjoyed! It's an interesting little operation!

Too much competition for views, too many other things going on in my life... I'll get back into it again one day... Thanks for tuning in! 🙂🙂🚂🚂🚃🚃

No, sorry, nothing else much on Adelaide. I'm from Victoria. My focus has been local transport stuff or UK and Europe. Thanks for watching!

Wow!! I'm expecting a few more this coming winter!

Thanks!

I found The Hague to be quite interesting - what I saw of it. I know the Melbourne system inside out, so given the opportunity I look at other systems around the world and try to make videos of them. There's plenty here on my channel of Melbourne trams. 🙂

Two gone, two left. Gardiner has been gone for some years and Glenhuntly is in the process of being removed. This leaves Kooyong and Riversdale, but for how much longer, who knows??

@@tobys_transport_videos I c thx for that

True! To ARTC's credit, the line was reopened in a week, with a diverted PN freight to Perth taking the hilly route as train # 2SP7 making its way through the site last night. The funny thing is I photographed that same train in Junee earlier in the day. 🙂

For sure! Otherwise you'd have a huge environmental disaster on your hands with thousands of litres of diesel fuel, coolant, and engine oil spilt everywhere!

Yeah bs 19 caused it 😡

The thing is, the track itself wasn't actually flooded! It was water UNDER the track!

@@tobys_transport_videos Thanks. I won't blame the driver as I did when a signalman. Lol.

Why werent the track owners doing inspections oh shit what a stupid question ask kennet he sold it out years ago

Well said! They also need back up plans for if the Standard Gauge between Gheringhap and Ararat is ever out of use for anything more than a few days in the future. There was a plan pre-Covid to dual gauge the line to Ballarat and Maryborough. I'd like to see it dual gauge to Ararat to create a backup line, instead of relying on going via the NSW Main South and across to the West. That has to be well over 1200 kms extra!

Very much so! Considering the Indian Pacific has been going that way as well as the twice weekly Overland in each direction, this, although not good, was a far better outcome than what could happen...

No injuries the locos were about 1km away. From what I was told, it's common practice to run extra locos all the way from Adelaide as there is a long, steep (in railway terms) climb to the border. As for the goods, another suggestion is that going to Melbourne the train is mostly empty, so it's just damage to the wagons and lost productivity for SCT.

They need 5 loco's as their motors are made by Holden.

If they were made by Holden, they'd do it on three! The rear four locos are Chinese, so go figure... We railfans call them "sugar cubes!"

I think you'll find that's not all that doesn't work, particularly in the case of some railway companies...

DHMU? You mean a Vlo? They would have been around, maybe I just cut the awful things out when editing this video. Thanks for watching! 🙂

I think 40 wagons is about the normal load for PN grain trains on this line. The reason why trains stall appears to be the lack of sand on the lead loco, enabling it to keep traction, and wet rails. Ballarat has a reputation for being wet! All this combined with a 1 in 50 grade, and you can see why there are problems. PN have solved this issue for at least one grain train consist, where it is normal to see triple XR class on it. This combo is starting to appear again so it may appear as a feature video _"somewhere down the track!"_

@@tobys_transport_videos 40 seems the standard but why would they use originally only 1 locco when they know the inevitable result. 2 loccos struggle up there let alone 1. Great video 👍

I can't say I've only ever seen it as 1. The ratio seems to be 3000 HP = 2000 tonnes of train, but the PN (ex VR) grain hoppers aren't 100 tonnes gross - _"I think"_ they're around 75-80 tonnes gross, so naturally that changes the total weight of the train. The ratio of 3000 HP to every 1000 tonnes of train would appear to work much better. Having trains fail and wait hours to be rescued, and to have videos made of numerous failures, is not a good look for rail.

@@tobys_transport_videos they definitely need to 2 loccos 3 to be sure so it avoids the long delays of the stall

😂 I didn't realise that Safeworking Schools teach you how to climb off what is technically a moving loco, and how to stand in the 5 foot on a mainline!!! This, as you point out, isn't some rarely-used freight line!

It's real alright! All things going well, it will be back next year (2023) around the same time, as well as the occasional steam or vintage diesel hauled train to Ballarat and beyond. Some tours pass through in the middle of the night, so if that happens there's every chance I won't see it. Thanks for watching!!

@@tobys_transport_videos I actually saw it pass through the missile of the night because I heart the steam release so I ran outside and I was like "I SWEAR I just saw a steam train" I couldn't beleive it

Thanks for watching! The little old engine you're thinking of is Y112. It's currently the oldest operating steam locomotive in Australia. It will be back next year, fit and strong!

@@tobys_transport_videos Wow that's special. Y112. Thankyou.

Thanks for your comments! Sadly for me, most of my subscriber base is Australian, so anything to do with the UK and notable people such as the Great Isambard Kingdom Brunel, are lost on them. I took a liking to his amazing feats of 19th Century engineering, hence this video, and travelling (for me) to the order side of the world to make it!

Fantastique! Even more power to your elbow. I hope you're not in Sydney with a soggy carpet. All the best.