StoneTheCrows
Neil Mulvaney
RJ
I think here is as good as any if your not writing a book
Should be a good read. :Y:
I think here is as good as any if your not writing a book
Should be a good read. :Y:
Railfans AKA Gunzels and Foamers.
- Thread starter Ramjet
- Start date
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Congratulations RJ tooooot,tooooooot, clickity clack,clickity clack.
Looking forward to your story mate.
Mackka :clap: :clap: :flowers: :flowers:
resent: resent:
Looking forward to your story mate.
Mackka :clap: :clap: :flowers: :flowers:
resent: resent:
A short story. When I am working I am often thinking about how to tell a certain story from my career. They are never going to be short because the railway has it's own language and without explaining some of that I think the reader would not fully understand the tale.
The details of the loco specs are from my memory so May not be spot on
This first image is a 48 class. There were 165 of them built between 1959 and 1970. There were 4 models of the 48ers which where 74 to 78 tons depending on the model. The output was 1050 hp with 950 hp for traction. The remaining power is used by auxiliary alternators to charge batteries and run the electrical systems plus turning the air compressor. Many have now been scrapped and several are owned by other operators and rail museums. They were the main branch line engine used in NSW and the 1st diesel to be used on branch lines. There are Main lines and branch lines. Branch lines are lighter rails therefore could only take lighter locomotives.
The loco pictured below is our regular shunter at Hunter Bulk Terminal, (HBT). It really is under powered for the tasks we use it for. In the nose , ( the nose is the bit in front of the windows), of this model are the main resi tanks, ( main air storage tanks), The item in the 2nd and 3rd images is a T piece with 2 emergency relief valves which activate if the air pressure get's too high.
So today's story.
This happened in the early 80s when I worked out of Nyngan. We were headed to Bourke with a mixed goods train, which is what most of our trains were. We could have on fuel tanks, empty wool and grain wagons, general goods etc. "Bogie opens" was a general term used for any wagon that had an open top and carried many different types of goods. These were often covered with tarps. Not many of these around these days as wagons are pretty specialized to the product they carry.
So on this day we were halfway between Byrock and Bourke when the T piece on the main resi fell off. I guess age and vibration did the damage. We were slowly losing our air as the compressor could not keep up. The driver and I took turns on holding a rag on the broken pipe with our feet to slow the air loss. We were supposed to stop at the Bourke cattle yards, about 5 kays out of town, to drop off some empty stock wagons. The driver said that if we didn't stop we should have enough air to make it to Bourke.
As we passed the stock yards the Gaurd in the brake van at the rear of the train "pulled the tail", thinking we had forgotten about the stock wagons. He opened a valve which applied the brakes to the train. Train brakes work on a complex air system that applies the brakes if air is removed from the system. This is so if the train breaks away the brakes will automatically come on.
So now we have no air to pump the brakes off. A bush fix was required. We unscrewed the cap beneath the T piece and hammered a stick up into the cap. Problem solved and we got on with our day.
Being so far away from any form of help we often had to make bush fixes to get out of trouble.
On another occasion we had a loco leaking cooling water so we "borrowed" a garden hose from a front yard so we could top it up at every station.
On a trip to Cobar one frosty morning we pulled to a stand going up hill. The sands were not working. Locos will NOT work without sand in wet or frosty conditions. The wheels will spin and locos cannot maintain traction. It is sprayed under the wheels, is crushed to powder and provides traction.
So on this particular day with the sands not working the guard and myself walked ahead of the train. Scooping up dirt in the bucket and spreading it on the track. Once we got to the top of the hill the driver drove the train up to us. We climbed on board and proceeded ahead until we slipped to a stand on the next hill. The process was repeated until we got to Cobar. There is a metal bucket in the locos "kit." Spare parts and tools. The bucket was to be placed over the Loco exhaust when it was shut down to prevent rain from getting in.
A couple more pics of the 48er. Some 60s tech with more modern additions such as the ICE radio. It has GPS, UHF, Sat phone etc etc.
Circled in red is "the button" or VC, Vigilance control. Back in the day it ran for 60 seconds and you could push it any time in that cycle. If we do not push it a light flashes for 10 seconds then a bell or buzzer sounds for 10 seconds. If there is no response the brakes apply automatically and the throttle returns to idle. It was found that we became so tuned to it that we could push it while asleep. So they changed it to be a random cycle between 40 and 60 seconds and it would not respond until the light came on.
Really a narrow field of view from these old girls.
The details of the loco specs are from my memory so May not be spot on
This first image is a 48 class. There were 165 of them built between 1959 and 1970. There were 4 models of the 48ers which where 74 to 78 tons depending on the model. The output was 1050 hp with 950 hp for traction. The remaining power is used by auxiliary alternators to charge batteries and run the electrical systems plus turning the air compressor. Many have now been scrapped and several are owned by other operators and rail museums. They were the main branch line engine used in NSW and the 1st diesel to be used on branch lines. There are Main lines and branch lines. Branch lines are lighter rails therefore could only take lighter locomotives.
The loco pictured below is our regular shunter at Hunter Bulk Terminal, (HBT). It really is under powered for the tasks we use it for. In the nose , ( the nose is the bit in front of the windows), of this model are the main resi tanks, ( main air storage tanks), The item in the 2nd and 3rd images is a T piece with 2 emergency relief valves which activate if the air pressure get's too high.
So today's story.
This happened in the early 80s when I worked out of Nyngan. We were headed to Bourke with a mixed goods train, which is what most of our trains were. We could have on fuel tanks, empty wool and grain wagons, general goods etc. "Bogie opens" was a general term used for any wagon that had an open top and carried many different types of goods. These were often covered with tarps. Not many of these around these days as wagons are pretty specialized to the product they carry.
So on this day we were halfway between Byrock and Bourke when the T piece on the main resi fell off. I guess age and vibration did the damage. We were slowly losing our air as the compressor could not keep up. The driver and I took turns on holding a rag on the broken pipe with our feet to slow the air loss. We were supposed to stop at the Bourke cattle yards, about 5 kays out of town, to drop off some empty stock wagons. The driver said that if we didn't stop we should have enough air to make it to Bourke.
As we passed the stock yards the Gaurd in the brake van at the rear of the train "pulled the tail", thinking we had forgotten about the stock wagons. He opened a valve which applied the brakes to the train. Train brakes work on a complex air system that applies the brakes if air is removed from the system. This is so if the train breaks away the brakes will automatically come on.
So now we have no air to pump the brakes off. A bush fix was required. We unscrewed the cap beneath the T piece and hammered a stick up into the cap. Problem solved and we got on with our day.
Being so far away from any form of help we often had to make bush fixes to get out of trouble.
On another occasion we had a loco leaking cooling water so we "borrowed" a garden hose from a front yard so we could top it up at every station.
On a trip to Cobar one frosty morning we pulled to a stand going up hill. The sands were not working. Locos will NOT work without sand in wet or frosty conditions. The wheels will spin and locos cannot maintain traction. It is sprayed under the wheels, is crushed to powder and provides traction.
So on this particular day with the sands not working the guard and myself walked ahead of the train. Scooping up dirt in the bucket and spreading it on the track. Once we got to the top of the hill the driver drove the train up to us. We climbed on board and proceeded ahead until we slipped to a stand on the next hill. The process was repeated until we got to Cobar. There is a metal bucket in the locos "kit." Spare parts and tools. The bucket was to be placed over the Loco exhaust when it was shut down to prevent rain from getting in.
A couple more pics of the 48er. Some 60s tech with more modern additions such as the ICE radio. It has GPS, UHF, Sat phone etc etc.
Circled in red is "the button" or VC, Vigilance control. Back in the day it ran for 60 seconds and you could push it any time in that cycle. If we do not push it a light flashes for 10 seconds then a bell or buzzer sounds for 10 seconds. If there is no response the brakes apply automatically and the throttle returns to idle. It was found that we became so tuned to it that we could push it while asleep. So they changed it to be a random cycle between 40 and 60 seconds and it would not respond until the light came on.
Really a narrow field of view from these old girls.
Keep em coming, great story.
The end of another"day" at work. Hunter Bulk Terminal Newcastle.
G
Guest
Hey Ramjet,
I'm 35 years service this September and still considered as a "Boy Driver" by the new know it all breed coming through the system!
If we had a $1 for every sunrise & sunset we've seen we would already be retired!!!
Hijacking your thread!!
I'm 35 years service this September and still considered as a "Boy Driver" by the new know it all breed coming through the system!
If we had a $1 for every sunrise & sunset we've seen we would already be retired!!!
Hijacking your thread!!
I did not know it till recently, but apparently there is a subset of rail enthusiasts who get very excited about rail signals and signaling.
StoneTheCrows
Neil Mulvaney
Retirement Stone said:
No offence intended RS - I just wonder if 30 years ago some old train drivers were saying the same thing
G
Guest
Hey mate, yeah maybe, no offense taken at all!
The older Drivers back then we're hard as nails. They had been through the war and depression etc and shovelled coal into the steam engines.
I'd imagine they rolled their eyes when we were complaining how hard our job on the diesels was?
Great point though. We only know where we are, the here and now. The past is just a memory.
I sometimes catch myself having an old man whinge about young blokes doing exactly what I used to do. e.g drink driving etc etc etc
Probably a change is the sense of entitlement now and instant gratification that's now prevalent.
What I've learnt over the years is that I know extremely little about trains and driving and to be honest, nothing about anything else although I can find a nugget here and there
:goldnugget: :goldpan:ickshovel:
RS
The older Drivers back then we're hard as nails. They had been through the war and depression etc and shovelled coal into the steam engines.
I'd imagine they rolled their eyes when we were complaining how hard our job on the diesels was?
Great point though. We only know where we are, the here and now. The past is just a memory.
I sometimes catch myself having an old man whinge about young blokes doing exactly what I used to do. e.g drink driving etc etc etc
Probably a change is the sense of entitlement now and instant gratification that's now prevalent.
What I've learnt over the years is that I know extremely little about trains and driving and to be honest, nothing about anything else although I can find a nugget here and there
:goldnugget: :goldpan:
ickshovel: RS
G'day Retirement Stone. Been a while.... Great pics.
Yes you are a Boy Driver. LOL 40 years this August.
Yes you are a Boy Driver. LOL 40 years this August.
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RJ, just for you, my Lad sent me this short Video and I thought you might like a sneak peak,
J.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzstctbEN0I
J.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzstctbEN0I
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2014
- Messages
- 8,938
- Reaction score
- 6,786
Nice. Never anything as fancy as an 82 class when I worked out there.
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