Aurizon and SCT Intermodals at Mt' Lofty Station. Nov 23

I'm back in beautiful Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills , for my last trip of 2023.
Our first train rolls by on a clear spring day, but the weather can change quickly in the Hills, and the following day it's cloudy and rain.

[@cncpgreatlakesdiv4896]

awesome thx for posting😊😊👍👍

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you and I appreciate the support! CHeers Gregg.

[@gibsonethirty2836]

G'Day Gregg Outstanding as always Matey Thank you.

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you Sir! Appreciate the support! Gregg.

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing.👍

[@FishplateFilms]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching 🙂 Gregg.

[@shaunhuckstepp7531]

I Gregg , just wanted to wish and his Lordship a happy Christmas and thanks for all great videos this year.

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you Shaun! Word on the wire is that Stan will be here soon?? Thanks for your support! Cheers Gregg.

[@shaunhuckstepp7531]

Great that means the bar will be open LOL.@@FishplateFilms

[@SantaFeBob]

Beautiful scenery and excellent catch. As usual, I love the informative commentary. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@FishplateFilms]

Thanks again Bob! Glad you enjoy the chat in the clips! Gregg.

[@1471SirFrederickBanbury]

fabulous capture as always Gregg, and look at the dents and irregularity of the sheet metal panels on the rolling stock. That's something that's hard to model with thick plastic. Also, there were a couple bits of information I wanted to share. As Frank Sergent of Sergent Engineering had been retired and all the drawings and info about his couplings are in the public domain, now there are two companies that have arisen to continue from where he left off. One is named Inventive Models, and the other is Prototype Couplers. Both sell the full range including the specialised ones, and offer them to be pre-built. Also, I really think you should have a look at a Hobbytown of Boston locomotive chassis kit. I'd imagine that you would like how they are put together and that they don't have any worm drives, allowing them to free-wheel with ease. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this, and I hope you found it useful!

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you Sir Fred! Sergeant couplers are great but fiddly , but its good to see them still beiade! If I modelled O gauge, I would use them for sure! I know of the old Hobbytown drive units , and I wish the main steam makes would make changes to their antiquated gearboxes! Thanks for watching and for the info updates. Cheers Gregg

[@1471SirFrederickBanbury]

@@FishplateFilms I’m planning to make gearboxes using crossed helical gears like Hobbytown so I thought that I may as well mention them. It’s just nice that it is feasible to buy Sergents in pre-assembled form again, so I am telling anyone who may be inclined to dive into them. If you think they are fiddly, you should take a look at people playing around with exactoscale screw link couplings. The biggest part is a 0.5 mm diameter screw that acts as a turnbuckle! Now that is hilariously fiddly!

[@arthurhouston3]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[@FishplateFilms]

Same to you Art! Hope all is good on the GP . Cheers Gregg

[@graemequinn5679]

have a merry xmas from us in the west

[@FishplateFilms]

Same to you Graeme! Thanks for watching!. Gregg.

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Interesting catch, very different train compared to what we see in Canada , cool video

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you! I prefer the US/Canadian loco's to our boxes down here, plus the variety of rolling stock is why I model the US railroads. But we do have some cool older stuff still on the rails. Gregg 😊

[@Mustang00007]

Saw the last one go through Bowden in the city..5 engines giddy up!

[@FishplateFilms]

Cool! I miss the place already! Gregg 🙂

[@Longshadowsmodeltrees]

Great video Gregg, Merry Christmas my friend. Bob

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you Sir! His Lordship is on the way soon , so look out for that ..LOL. Merry Christmas Santa 🙂 Gregg.

[@upsd402]

Great video, the first train, I am surprised to see a passenger car, we don't see many of those here in the States unless it's a Amtrak train. The second train, I noticed the number boards above the cab, one side has the numbers and the other side had the company markings. Great video. A couple of weeks ago I was on the east coast. Not much happening with the CSX or NS, saw very few trains. Cheers Gregg, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. Terry from cold Nebraska.

[@hirsutusi5536]

That was a crew car, the trains have two crews for long trips across the desert.

[@FishplateFilms]

Thank you Terry! PN keep their crew cars on for some reason , the others usually remove them at Adelaide. Shame you didn't see more action on the East? Seasons greetings to you up in the North. Cheers Gregg.

[@fremanwarrior]

Hi there, I've heard you mention Birdwood and Tarragindi in past videos. I used to live at Pope St when I was a teenager in the 80s, I had a HO model railway in a 10x10 shed. I was too young and lacked the $s to ever finish anything but the countryside and country stations but it was good fun nevertheless.

[@FishplateFilms]

Hi Freeman! I know Pope st , and I also had a layout in the late 70's early 80's under my parents house. It was expensive to model back then , with just lawn mowing money...KD's cost the same as a Athearn box car LOL. Bit different now but I still havent finished the layout! Thanks for watching. Cheers Gregg.

[@fremanwarrior]

@@FishplateFilms I remember finding a very old retired man who had a tiny little train shop attached to the side of his house on one of the streets off Cracknell Rd. Got my first Steam Engine off him, riding my bike there and back. His house was easy to find, his letter box had iron steam locomotive sculpture on top. Still got all my rolling stock tucked away for my retirement. (If I can afford it when the time comes. the prices of Train stuff these days is shocking, but thanks to the internet its now possible to DIY stuff you'd never even consider pre-internet days)

[@FishplateFilms]

@@fremanwarrior Wow...thats a blast from the past....that was grumpy old Clive Mc Taggart! You never knew what mood he would be in and was scary knocking on that door ...LOL. I rode my bike there as well and spent a lot of lawn mowing money there! I remember old Clive like it was yesterday :-)

[@fremanwarrior]

@@FishplateFilms Petrifying, first time I went I thought I was done for.

[@FishplateFilms]

@@fremanwarrior LOL..yes great customer service!

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

Hi Gregg great to see you back, loved the shots, missing you layout, any news about the equalizer calibration Ron

[@FishplateFilms]

Thanks Ronald! I have done a video on the EQ settings , but it was hard to pick up the differences with the camera , even with my pro mics... I will go back and probably post it and go over the process anyway . I've been very busy with my Air BNB and it's just too hot to be in the shed! I do want to do it , as its a great way of improving the sound in your locos ! Cheers Gregg

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

@@FishplateFilms Thanks Ill wayt for it

[@normancnclearwatersub7505]

It doesn't appear as though they make meets at Mt Lofty. Are there sidings on either side where meets occur?

[@FishplateFilms]

HI Norman, thanks for stopping by! They used to , but as trains have gotten longer, the loop is too short now! There were plans to lengthen it, but the locals weren't happy and a few houses would of been in the way! Yes there are sidings at Belair, towards Adelaide , and on the east side of the Hills , there are several . The line from Adelaide to Melbourne is mostly single track , with many pasing loops, but it would be great if the one at Lofty was used....especially for railfans! Cheers Gregg

[@Wolfe351]

How's your block construction going mate? much progress? Went thru past Lofty station for a delivery couple of weeks back, very nice old building pity its not being used as a station!!

[@FishplateFilms]

HI Wolfie, the station is up for lease now, after the ceiling was replaced due to water damage. Hope it gets a new tenant soon? Have a gander at the block next time you go past ....... Cheers Gregg.

[@Wolfe351]

@@FishplateFilms is that one on the corner on the north side?

[@Wolfe351]

@@FishplateFilms The station would make a great Model Railway shop/clubroom layout.......IMO

[@FishplateFilms]

@@Wolfe351 Yes , across the tracks from the Station. And the station did have a model RR club in it back in the 90's , before it was converted to a BnB ! Gregg.

[@Wolfe351]

@@FishplateFilms I think there is a Model railway club in the old Station building at Outer Harbour its supposed to be pretty big....one day I will get time to check it out!!

[@smokeyjoe1034]

Hello Gregg. I was just curious, but do you know how long it takes those intermodal trains coupled with the crew cars to travel from Adelaide to Perth? Cheers, Joe.

[@FishplateFilms]

The distance is about 2700 km Joe , and takes about 30hrs according to the timetables. The crews stay on the train in the crew cars as you know, as there is really nowhere to stay on the trip across the desert! Gregg.

[@smokeyjoe1034]

Thank you, Gregg.

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

Where is Lord Stan

[@FishplateFilms]

On the way soon! Stay tuned Ronald 😏

[@Bardwell_Junction]

Are those all domestic containers? Didn't recognize any international cans. Looks like that dreaded, invasive graffiti disease has hit Oz too!

[@FishplateFilms]

I would think most would be ? Most overseas boxes would go directly to Melbourne Port or Adelaide Harbour via and not through the Hills. I'm afraid graffiti is bad down here . Just vandalism in my opinion. Thanks for watching. Gregg.