Tully Sugar 2017

We spent a day and a half on the Tully Sugar network. This year the job running north to Jaffa/El Arish was running at night, so we focused on other areas. We were rewarded with catching trains at two of the "kangaroo" lever crossings at Birkala and Feluga, as well as several of the branch lines south of Tully.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Each of these trains keeps 20 trucks off the road, with the sugar mill having an apetite for 700 t/h that's around 670 truck loads, but just around 34 train loads per 24 hour.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Trains don't pull in at gas stations or your grocery stores so don't get 2 happy keeping trucks off the road.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@kelvintorrence5994 We can't keep all trucks off the road, but in specific cases were you have to transport bulk quantities of product from one point to another, like these sugar cane trains, or for instance raw materials to a large factory and containers over long distances, the train is a far more efficient option. We will need trucks for end distribution (like these containers) and transport of smaller quantities directly between producers and customers, where the train is uneconomical. But every truckload which can be kept off the road is beneficial to lower congestion and emissions, and helps the trucks left on the road to reach their destination in time.

[@spencerbass7142]

That is amazing, they sure get the job done!

[@AGSGuy]

I wish we had operations like this in the US, even if it wasn't Sugar Cane

[@mrjsanchez1]

There are Sugar Cane Railroads in South Florida, USA , that are similar. They are standard gauge however.

[@mikemacheese7174]

@@mrjsanchez1 So how are they similar if they are standard gauge?

[@PlaneBoy2520]

Mike Macheese Same types of cars, same track layout. Just larger and with Geeps instead of narrow gauge switchers. Oh and it’s all completely flat instead of having mountains lol plus it has a bunch of bridges over canals

[@mikemacheese7174]

Planeboy 2520 cool

[@PlaneBoy2520]

Mike Macheese here, distant signal has a really good video on one of the sugar cane railroads out in Florida kzbin.info/www/bejne/qovGq3qgr9Cml68

[@transformandoelcarton9442]

Si reproduces el video en 2x veras lo rápido que se mueve el Tully, 20km/h 😁👍

[@otintc]

These are awesome trains is there a chance of any body filming a walk around of these engines? Or even inside the cabs?

[@locosdownunder7750]

Those are some interesting little locos

[@AlohaMilton]

Cutest switchers ever! So cute, can they be trained to not poop indoors?

[@ArchTeryx00]

That's actually a pretty rare find - a jackshaft "critter" diesel locomotive. The jackshaft basically connects the wheels to a single traction motor that's mounted separate from the axles. VERY old diesel design, but it works quite well in small locos as you see here!

[@fmnut]

In this case it's a hydraulic motor rather than an electric traction motor. The larger bogie locos still only have one transmission connecting to the bogeys via cardan shafts.

[@PaulPavlinovich]

I enjoyed watching these trundle by.

[@vidwilzvids9587]

The video subject is great! I would also like to commend your smooth camera work and editing.

[@sparky107107]

they might be small little guys.. but wow can they pull.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

But the larger Bo-Bo locomotives #3-#6 and #7 seen in this video are quite formidable for the 2' gauge. When i did a right guess trains could be up to 50 of the larger type of wagons, and up to the information on the Tully mill website each of these larger bins as they call them can carry up to 10 tons of cane, with an estimated tare of 5 tons for each bin this makes up for 750 ton trains!

[@fmnut]

sparky107107 The larger bogie locos haul up to 1000 ton trains on some systems. At Plane Creek mill they run 2000 ton trains with 1 loco up front and a second radio controlled mid-train.

[@judpowell1756]

light cars, no grades

[@espeescotty]

@@fmnut This sounds very interesting. Do you have a video of this operation?

[@fmnut]

@@espeescotty see my video 2016 Cane pt 3 Plane Creek Mill

[@fantasticrailways5340]

Nice

[@GrzegorzPiotrNykiel]

beautiful transport depots! +

[@richwielechowski5191]

Do these crew operate with any kind of track authority or is there only one crew in an given area?

[@fmnut]

Movement authority is verbal via radio from a central dispatching office. All locos and brake vans have GPS transponders that display on the dispatcher's computer screen. Generally there is only 1 crew operating in an area at a given time, but when there are potential conflicts crews are given authority to "hold points", usually holding short of a junction switch until the conflicting crew has passed. Speeds are generally such that crews can maintain visual separation when following movements are made.

[@ivanskillian6730]

Diesel Hydraulics, or Mechanical? Speed? I would guess about 50 km/h.

[@fmnut]

Diesel hydraulic. The siderod drive locomotives are a bit slower than 50, the bogie locos are a bit faster.

[@kelvintorrence5994]

Cool little trains do they still run them over rhere.

[@fmnut]

As far as I know, yes.

[@RailPreserver2K]

Hey I just saw your video of the Penney and I'm wondering is there any center cab Baldwin diesels preserved or were they all scrapped

[@fmnut]

Railroad,Preserver,2000 only one. MN&S 21 DT 6-6-2000 at Illinois Railway Museum

[@SantaFe19484]

Nice video! What does "check train integrity" mean?

[@fmnut]

It means the crew should look back over their train as it's going around the curve. These trains don't have air brakes to stop a runaway in case of a train separation so checking to see they have all the cars they're supposed to is important, especially when on a hill like where the sign is displayed.

[@northjerseyrailfan9326]

What do you like better usa trains or Australian trains

[@fmnut]

conrail guy I don't get as much enjoyment rail fanning the US as I used to. The Class 1 lines are a bit boring. And you're always looking over your shoulder in case someone called the cops on you for suspicious activity. In Australia everyone is friendly. That said, it's a much longer wait between trains on Aussie main lines. That's why I enjoy the cane lines so much. They're easier to chase, interesting to watch and the roads are uncrowded. Nobody is bothered with your filming them.

[@northjerseyrailfan9326]

Yeah thats true i cant go one night railfanning because the rr police always show up and down in Australian you guys have much bigger trains witch i like

[@fmnut]

conrail guy first, I'm not Australian. Second, most trains in Australia are not as long or heavy as those in the US with the exception of the Pilbara region.

[@northjerseyrailfan9326]

Ah ok i still like Australian trains to!

[@MTNRailroadingNC]

What is the protection on that diamond crossing. I see the semaphores but do they have to contact the other railroad?

[@fmnut]

Tyler McKinney no, at the locations with the semaphores they make a visual check for approaching trains then work the lever for the signals and catch points. Some other locations have ground frames with electric locking, color light signals and track circuits. At these locations they get the unlock if the track circuit on the main is clear.

[@MTNRailroadingNC]

Cool. Thanks for replying. I've loved these cane railways videos for a few years now.

[@billfitzpatrick6910]

Can you please tell me what the Tully Sugar Networks track gauge is? Thanx in advance.

[@fmnut]

Bill Fitzpatrick Tully is 2 foot gauge.

[@RenaissancePeopleNYC]

where the heck is this?

[@fmnut]

Sugar cane railway.

[@fmnut]

Queensland Australia

[@markarrivi3818]

So Cool F

[@kevinbrady2863]

Also, how far were these runs end to end?

[@fmnut]

Kevin Brady the average is 5 or 6 miles. Tully's longest run is about 15. Other mills have runs as long as 35 miles.

[@mrserious55]

davenport engines?

[@fmnut]

Australian built by Commonwealth Engineering with Caterpillar diesels, hydraulic transmissions. Others were built by Clyde and EM Baldwin. Also some of the larger trucked locos are ex Queensland Railways Walkers built 3'6" gauge units rebuilt for 2' gauge.

[@kevinbrady2863]

Any idea what engines these units had? Cummins?

[@fmnut]

Kevin Brady Caterpillar

[@kevinbrady2863]

Never thought I'd enjoy an industrials vid as much as these. Fascinating operation, those little units really pull hard. The birdsong, raindrops and thunder in the background add to the overall effect too.

[@jeffeffery8181]

21:25 LMFAO they just used a stick for the rear end flag

[@alexandergrube6437]

did you move here?

[@fmnut]

lightnindash 3804 nope, just visiting