Location: Melbourne, Australia
Reports circulating the Fruity has derailed north of Ouyen. Can anyone confirm?
Regards
Brian
Regards
Brian
XR551-G542 on 9101 to Mildura has derailed north of Ouyen?
bevans
Site Admin
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Rail>Road
Beginner
I went for a drive down to check it out and yes it is in the dirt. Pretty fair mess as well i drove down to have a look at it, couldn't get the greatest pics because track investigators were there and they said to not get too close because they weren't sure if it was stable or not.
That's not all of it as well there was a wagon upside down further up but that was surrounded by personnel so i didn't want to walk up there while they were still doing their job.
Because it was the 9101 on it's way up to Mildura the majority of these containers are empty with the exception of a few imports we were expecting to come in.
That's not all of it as well there was a wagon upside down further up but that was surrounded by personnel so i didn't want to walk up there while they were still doing their job.
Because it was the 9101 on it's way up to Mildura the majority of these containers are empty with the exception of a few imports we were expecting to come in.
Galron
Chief Commissioner
Location: Werribee, Vic
nasty. nice mess for somone to clean up. hope the crew are OK.
strauchanside
Beginner
Crew were fine by all reports, eight wagons came off apparently.
Highrailer
Assistant Commissioner
Location: Somewhere out on the track......anywhere around the country
If its in the area im thinking it will be real fun getting the cranes & machinery etc in there to fix it, its all 4x4 territory in that sand & even then you can still get into strife.
Donald
Chief Commissioner
Location: Donald. Duck country.
Just had G525/X49/XR557 with about 15 wagons come through Donald heading towards Melbourne, collecting about 10 loaded wagons at PeaCo. Line open or are they the wagons from the rear of the derailment returning to Melbourne?
mystic
Beginner
Wagons from the rear.
RustyRick
Chief Commissioner
Location: South West Vic
Today's Sunraysia Daily reports that 1000 sleepers and 300m of track is being replaced. It's expected to take about a week.
Rick
Rick
bevans
Site Admin
Location: Melbourne, Australia
This is not good news for the good folk of Mildura.
Donald
Chief Commissioner
Location: Donald. Duck country.
Are PN going to do a short run to Donald to keep the supply of containers to PeaCo, or could this be another loss for rail? With at least 50 containers of legumes for export each week go out by rail there would be enough for an overnight drop and collect.
Greensleeves
Chief Commissioner
Location: If it isn't obvious by now, it should be.
I've seen photos of the train being loaded from trucks at Ouyen, so I'd assume that the Donald traffic is still being taken
Casper1975
Station Master
Location: Ouyen, Victoria
The time for talk is over this is the second derailment on the line this year the first one was a Woomelang the sooner they standardise the line the better how many more derailments dose there have to be before something is actually done.
mikesyd
Chief Commissioner
Location: Lurking
Simply moving one rail inwards by 6.5 inches won't help.
Casper1975
Station Master
Location: Ouyen, Victoria
Simply moving one rail inwards by 6.5 inches won't help.True even the roads In the area are damaged by constant heavy vehicles.
Donald
Chief Commissioner
Location: Donald. Duck country.
It's not the fault of the road or rail traffic. It's the clay soil that is the problem. Swells and contracts with the moisture (or lack of) and causes all the undulations in roads and the track. 80km/h is the rail max, often 40 -60 in places. Definitely no difference being standard gauge - but it would be advantageous.
If the line went from Mildura northwards to the east-west line, quicker access to markets for Mildura produce. And wouldn't be locked out for a couple of weeks due to derailments!
If the line went from Mildura northwards to the east-west line, quicker access to markets for Mildura produce. And wouldn't be locked out for a couple of weeks due to derailments!
Groundrelay
Chief Commissioner
Location: Surrounded by Trolls!
It's not the fault of the road or rail traffic. It's the clay soil that is the problem. Swells and contracts with the moisture (or lack of) and causes all the undulations in roads and the track. 80km/h is the rail max, often 40 -60 in places. Definitely no difference being standard gauge - but it would be advantageous.
If the line went from Mildura northwards to the east-west line, quicker access to markets for Mildura produce. And wouldn't be locked out for a couple of weeks due to derailments!
Surely clay is not unusual in Australia.
Certainly more East West opinions would be a good thing, especially if you could double stack out of Melbourne.
Ballast_Plough
Chief Commissioner
Location: Lilydale, Vic
Clay not unusual is Australia but there is a particularly nasty band crossing the line up the north west corner of the state.
mm42
Chief Train Controller
Black and grey clays are particularly bad with their shrink-swell characteristics, whereas yellow and red clays have much lower shrink-swell properties. Soil movement is not is not just an Australian problem, and there are other causes. The northern USA has a soil movement problem with the spring thaw. The "ultimate" solution is to dig out the shrink-swell layer (about 1m) and replace with a material without these characteristics. Or realign the track more frequently.
bayside1
Station Master
Yes I agree time to standardise and upgrade the line, with an approaching Federal election and a possible change of government with a very pro road view , this will never happen. If we are serious about exports, growing economy rail is the only future, but a container train in North West Victoria does not have many votes.
T
T
HWYRNR1984
Station Staff
Location: Chasing a white line somewhere...
I know all about what black and grey clay soils are like to build on, and there is undoubtedly problems with that along the line, but it looks just a tad sandy there for black ground to be the cause of the derailment. I don't know the area intimately, so I'll stand corrected if there is black ground there. And yes, the line should be standardised. Should've been with the last upgrade. I think I recall being told is was going to cast a miniscule amount to re guage as the tie renewal went through. I think the figures might have been something like $70m for the upgrade, and an extra couple $m to regauge. Welcome to Victoria! We didn't re gauge it 
. Passenger services though, in my mind, will never be viable to Mildura. The line is too slow, the distance too great, upgrading the line speed to cost prohibitive. Does anyone know how much further from Melbourne by rail Mildura is compared to Swan Hill BTW?
. Passenger services though, in my mind, will never be viable to Mildura. The line is too slow, the distance too great, upgrading the line speed to cost prohibitive. Does anyone know how much further from Melbourne by rail Mildura is compared to Swan Hill BTW?
L1150
Assistant Commissioner
Location: Pakenham Vic.
Swan Hill 345Km. Mildura 566Km via Castlemaine and 573Km via Ballarat.
Donald
Chief Commissioner
Location: Donald. Duck country.
Line must have re-opened. 7 or so wagons left in the Donald yard last night. Loaded wagons awaiting collection on return trip.
bevans
Site Admin
Location: Melbourne, Australia
9102 into Gheringhap this morning arriving at the stop at 8:13am and departing at 8:28am
They are back in business. Cement has been left in the siding.
Regards
Brian
They are back in business. Cement has been left in the siding.
Regards
Brian
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