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nm39
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Oct 07, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: Rubber Tyred Vehicle track sign designing team
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:01 pm
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| bingley hall wrote: | | mynameismike wrote: | | We are the longest tourist railway in the southern hemisphere. |
In theory the El Maitén-Esquel railway in Argentina is at 165 km, although with through services currently suspended on that line, I suppose Bushranger still qualifies.
Bing |
The Gulflander from Normanton to Croydon, Qld is 152km long. Does this qualify as Australia's longest preserved or tourist railway?
Silly old Gordon, got stuck inna DITCH......
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409
Minister for Railways
Joined: Jul 25, 2004
Last Visited: Nov 23, 2008
Location: "Well, we sorta hit a little snag when the universe sorta collapsed on itself."
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 2:33 pm
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It's still run by the Queensland Government (via QR) and is still used to serve the community so you could call it something of a grey area.
2008 BOGIE AWARD WINNER - Best Contribution to Model Railways
 LINK TO YOUTUBE PROFILE
"I'd use an 830 for my respirator!" |
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nm39
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Oct 07, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: Rubber Tyred Vehicle track sign designing team
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:51 pm
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Yes it is grey. They only run ancient and hugely outdated railcars that no self respecting commuter would seriously consider using if they were used in a city and they go along a government funded railway that isn't used for anything else. The only sticking point is the ownership and maintenance of the railway that would prevent it from being called a preserved railway. As a tourist railway, tourism seems to be a very major part of Queensland daily living so it probably couldn't be prevented from being called that.
Silly old Gordon, got stuck inna DITCH......
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nm39
Chief Train Controller
Joined: Oct 07, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: Rubber Tyred Vehicle track sign designing team
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:55 pm
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| 2001 wrote: | Included in the brochure's blurb on the Southern Encounter, describing the journey :
...."There have been incidents with Bushrangers along the way, and also keep an eye out for 'The Steam Ranger' who turns up from time to time"....
Oo-er ! |
I thought that was "BUSCHRANGER"
Silly old Gordon, got stuck inna DITCH......
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Alco_Haulic
Chief Commissioner
Joined: Jul 28, 2004
Last Visited: Sep 29, 2008
Location: Eating out...
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Posted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:23 pm
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| mynameismike wrote: | | ...We have to remove the cam shaft to repair it, and anyone who has every been inside the engine room of a 930 will understand the logistical problem removing all 9 feet of camshaft in the available room. |
Why am I suspecting it'd be easier to lift the prime mover... Then REMOVE the camshaft...
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steamhead
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Aug 25, 2004
Last Visited: Nov 5, 2008
Location: Home
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:59 am
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One of our other out of service loco's will also be retuning to service in the neer-ish future.
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Intriguing... are you referring to Rx 224? Or F 251? I'd really like to see 520 back in action, but without some sort of miracle I doubt the big fellah will run again 
Cheers, Adrian
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:03 am
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The engine is fixable but the the tender underframe is shot, it would need to be complety renewed for 520 to ever run again! When the tenders were originally made the underframe was actually in the water tank and the beams etc, corroded rather quickly like this, it was done to increase water capacity, when the new tender top was built it reused this idea, instead of just making the whole lot sit on top of it.
Good idea at the time, bad one further down the track! 
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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steamhead
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Aug 25, 2004
Last Visited: Nov 5, 2008
Location: Home
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:14 am
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Yeah. There's a good run down (if I can use that term) of the work required to steam 520 again on Steamranger's website. All it takes is $$$ - about $200,000 if I recall. Well, I'm off to buy a lotto ticket 
Regards, Adrian
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 11:23 am
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Good luck with the lotto ticket, Adrian!
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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2001
The Snow Lord
Joined: Jan 25, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: The road jump at Charlotte Pass. Paxman Valenta on two planks.
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:07 pm
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Mike - thank you for the update on SteamRanger 
I particulary am pleased with this news .....
| mynameismike wrote: |
With any luck 621 will return to service for the Easter holiday weekend and will probably work the School holiday CT's too.
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I still reckon 621 would look better with smoke deflectors fitted though !
2001
Member Falls Creek 2018 Olympics Committee.
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daves_t186
Junior Train Controller
Joined: May 07, 2005
Last Visited: Sep 24, 2008
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 2:31 pm
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I still reckon 621 would look better with smoke deflectors fitted though !
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you ain't alone there mate!
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mynameismike
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Sep 01, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: /dev/adelaide/magill
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 5:06 pm
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| Alco_Haulic wrote: | | mynameismike wrote: | | ...We have to remove the cam shaft to repair it, and anyone who has every been inside the engine room of a 930 will understand the logistical problem removing all 9 feet of camshaft in the available room. |
Why am I suspecting it'd be easier to lift the prime mover... Then REMOVE the camshaft... |
It turns out that the cam shaft is in three pieces.
| steamhead wrote: | | Quote: |
One of our other out of service loco's will also be retuning to service in the neer-ish future.
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Intriguing... are you referring to Rx 224? Or F 251? I'd really like to see 520 back in action, but without some sort of miracle I doubt the big fellah will run again
Cheers, Adrian |
I am referring to one of those locomotives and all will be revealed in good time. If we had more volunteers this could happen faster.
621 will return looking different.
Cheers,
Mike
"The Americans will always do the right thing... After they've exhausted all the alternatives." - Winston Churchill
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dylan
Junior Train Controller
Joined: Sep 17, 2006
Last Visited: Nov 14, 2008
Location: South Australia
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 9:12 am
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Meanwhile, we in the infrastructure group have been busy too,
Victor station is looking great, and has been completely refurbished and repainted into the 1920s paint sheme, and Goolwa is getting the same way with a new picket fence and soon the home signals and train order signal will be going up.
This was done using mostly work for the dole labour.
All of this and the track is now in great condition, with heavy resleepering and guys out there 5 or 6 days a week working on spot resleepering or track alignment means we are probably better off than TA!
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mynameismike
Assistant Commissioner
Joined: Sep 01, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 22, 2008
Location: /dev/adelaide/magill
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:49 am
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| dylan wrote: | Meanwhile, we in the infrastructure group have been busy too,
Victor station is looking great, and has been completely refurbished and repainted into the 1920s paint sheme, and Goolwa is getting the same way with a new picket fence and soon the home signals and train order signal will be going up.
This was done using mostly work for the dole labour.
All of this and the track is now in great condition, with heavy resleepering and guys out there 5 or 6 days a week working on spot resleepering or track alignment means we are probably better off than TA! |
Carefull. T.A. may want the track back!!!
"The Americans will always do the right thing... After they've exhausted all the alternatives." - Winston Churchill
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David Peters
Minister for Railways
Joined: Nov 29, 2005
Last Visited: Nov 21, 2008
Location: In a black Trans Am!
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 11:55 am
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Any track is probably in better condition than T.A.'s, even disused sidings! 
National Railway Museum member.
The opinions expressed by my me in these posts is not the opinion of the N.R.M. and should not be construed as such.
Ferroequinologist and Microferroequinologist.
Photosite http://davidpeters950.fotopic.net |
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