I've seen a few Youtube clips recently of DV2 leading trains out of Launceston.
Are they getting close to resuming remote control operations or have they found another use for it?

This unit retained its previous cab and standard MU equipment so the recent use does not involve any remote control equipment. Part of its intended use was on services where only one TR was required for power but needed a second cab for the reverse movement

This unit retained its previous cab and standard MU equipment so the recent use does not involve any remote control equipment. Part of its intended use was on services where only one TR was required for power but needed a second cab for the reverse movement

Surprised we don't see more of DV1 type vehicles to enable single engine running, not just in Tas, but on the big island.

This unit retained its previous cab and standard MU equipment so the recent use does not involve any remote control equipment. Part of its intended use was on services where only one TR was required for power but needed a second cab for the reverse movement

Surprised we don't see more of DV1 type vehicles to enable single engine running, not just in Tas, but on the big island.

It might have been even more useful in that application if the traction motors had been retained and it was used as a slug to apply additional low speed tractive effort with power provided from the master loco.

Despite the failure of AN's experiment with slugs (the BUs), the slug concept has never been given much of an opportunity in Australia - they're better suited to hilly, low speed lines where conventional DC traction locomotives can't get all of their horsepower to the rails.

This unit retained its previous cab and standard MU equipment so the recent use does not involve any remote control equipment. Part of its intended use was on services where only one TR was required for power but needed a second cab for the reverse movement

Surprised we don't see more of DV1 type vehicles to enable single engine running, not just in Tas, but on the big island.

It might have been even more useful in that application if the traction motors had been retained and it was used as a slug to apply additional low speed tractive effort with power provided from the master loco.

Despite the failure of AN's experiment with slugs (the BUs), the slug concept has never been given much of an opportunity in Australia - they're better suited to hilly, low speed lines where conventional DC traction locomotives can't get all of their horsepower to the rails.

DV1 was never intended to support traction, its simply to eliminate the costly, timely and safety issue of swapping ends for the loco on regular short haul train movements, such as the Cement train which is about 5 to 7 times a day.

ie get an old small loco, gut it to save even more weight so its effectively a functional drivers cab only. Power loco at loaded end of train, DV1 at other for reverse running. My understanding the driver also self unloads the train from the remote standing alongside the train at the dump station.  All very efficient, meanwhile leaving Tassie and moving to Gladstone  Qld I used to see the wood chip train being unloaded with 5 people. Two drivers up front feet up reading the paper, one each side of the train at the dump station (to be fair sometimes they had to apply the vibrator to get things moving) and a 5th guy supervising talking to driver.

RTT,
"Two drivers up front feet up reading the paper"
I wish I had a dollar for every shift I did at the Longreach woodchip plant doing exactly that. Spend an entire shift there and never turn a wheel.

RTT,
"Two drivers up front feet up reading the paper"
I wish I had a dollar for every shift I did at the Longreach woodchip plant doing exactly that. Spend an entire shift there and never turn a wheel.

Went there a few times both night and during the day, saw some trains just sit there all day, nothing. Having the log grab lift the wagon off the rails didn't help though.

Meanwhile my interaction in the EBR, drivers seemed to barely have time to say hello unless they were waiting on the loader to fill the wagon.

Video was removed

In a sort of related post, DV2 was helping to get 2118 (aka ZA6) out of storage this morning.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6WgAJG_9K0

Video is Private, turn that off if you wish to share it with anyone.

It wasn’t my video.  I just posted the link,
I’m guessing they got upset that Railpage decided to embed it automatically.

In a sort of related post, DV2 was helping to get 2118 (aka ZA6) out of storage this morning.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6WgAJG_9K0

Video is Private, turn that off if you wish to share it with anyone.

It isn't 2118 (ZA6) that was scrapped years ago, if you look at the video it is 2132 which is MKA2 ex ZC1329

It isn't 2118 (ZA6) that was scrapped years ago, if you look at the video it is 2132 which is MKA2 ex ZC1329

Although the loco is not actually shown in this video, the purpose of all these movements was to extract 2118 (ZA6) from the middle of Rotten Row, where (according to http://www.railtasmania.com/loco/loco.php?id=za ) it has been stored for at least 8 years.

Also according to that page, scrapped members of the Za class are ZA4 (in 2011) and 2116/ZA3 and 2117/ZA5 (both in 2012).

MKA2 was previously (QR) 1329.  Although purchased by AN Tasrail with all 45 members of the 1300 class, only those class members that entered service with AN(T) were renumbered as ZC class members.  Had 1329 done so it would have been ZC30, but it never ran with that number and ZC1329 is doubly incorrect.

2118 is destined for the Tasmanian Transport Museum in Glenorchy, but will need to make the journey by road as the South line is closed beyond Bridgewater Junction and physically disconnected from the operational line to Boyer.

It will be interesting to see which livery TTMS decide to restore to ZA6.  As the last Australian-built EE loco, and the last new loco delivered to the TGR before its takeover by AN, returning it to its original TGR livery would be a popular choice.  However this would preclude the display of the Bicentenial logo livery that has adorned the loco since its 1988 repaint into AN Green, which it retained through a subsequent repaint into the AN Reverse (yellow) scheme and subsequent variations.

It isn't 2118 (ZA6) that was scrapped years ago, if you look at the video it is 2132 which is MKA2 ex ZC1329

Although the loco is not actually shown in this video, the purpose of all these movements was to extract 2118 (ZA6) from the middle of Rotten Row, where (according to http://www.railtasmania.com/loco/loco.php?id=za ) it has been stored for at least 8 years.

Also according to that page, scrapped members of the Za class are ZA4 (in 2011) and 2116/ZA3 and 2117/ZA5 (both in 2012).

MKA2 was previously (QR) 1329.  Although purchased by AN Tasrail with all 45 members of the 1300 class, only those class members that entered service with AN(T) were renumbered as ZC class members.  Had 1329 done so it would have been ZC30, but it never ran with that number and ZC1329 is doubly incorrect.

2118 is destined for the Tasmanian Transport Museum in Glenorchy, but will need to make the journey by road as the South line is closed beyond Bridgewater Junction and physically disconnected from the operational line to Boyer.

It will be interesting to see which livery TTMS decide to restore to ZA6.  As the last Australian-built EE loco, and the last new loco delivered to the TGR before its takeover by AN, returning it to its original TGR livery would be a popular choice.  However this would preclude the display of the Bicentenial logo livery that has adorned the loco since its 1988 repaint into AN Green, which it retained through a subsequent repaint into the AN Reverse (yellow) scheme and subsequent variations.

That is the interesting part, if you accept that RailTasmania has the most up to date information, that same page you submitted the link to shows a total number built 6 stored zero preserved zero?

If you also read the link it says 2118 held for preservation.

I believe ZA6 will be in AN green.

If you also read the link it says 2118 held for preservation.

I believe ZA6 will be in AN green.

Yes it does, that was in 2012 when all but 2114 was still serviceable and being used.  In 2012, Locomotives 2116 and 2117 were scrapped, 2115  was stored for parts and 2118 held for preservation, no updates since then.  So my questiion to someone from Tasmania, is 2118 still being held for preservation or was it used for parts to keep 2114 operational until 2014.  Does anyone have a photo of it?  Just because someone from Tasrail said it was to be held for preservation in 2012, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then and undoubtedly the person who made that decision may have retired or left Tasrail.  Was/has that hold for preservation order been recinded.

Wasn't used for parts on 2114. I believe the person that said held for preservation with in Tasrail is still the same person now saying held for preservation.

Its in the workshops atm getting some bits tidied up before trucked down to Tasmanian Transport Museum. So, to me its preserved.

I took this in 2014.

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/3879/14570953375_5631110a20_z.jpg[/img]Hood side 2118

Wasn't used for parts on 2114. I believe the person that said held for preservation with in Tasrail is still the same person now saying held for preservation.

Its in the workshops atm getting some bits tidied up before trucked down to Tasmanian Transport Museum. So, to me its preserved.

I took this in 2014.

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/3879/14570953375_5631110a20_z.jpg[/img]Hood side 2118

Thanks for that I was concerend that it may have ended up quietly scrapped

Thanks for that I was concerned that it may have ended up quietly scrapped

Nothing Tasrail might plan to scrap will be done "quietly". There was hell to pay when the last batch got scrapped. At the time the cost to buy vs scrap was rather high, but now there are a number of offers to buy higher than scrap prices. Numerous offers have been made over the last few years, however Tasrail have been studiously ignoring those approaches so far. There are a number of drivers in Tasrail and ex Tasrail that are very vocal about preserving representative examples of the Tasmanian big EEs. Also the major heritage groups will be expecting equitable treatment with respect to being granted examples of them.

Tasrail as a GBE, will be facing parliamentary estimates committee inquisitions shortly and some pointed questions regarding Tasrail's treatment of the T&HR groups have been proxied via friendly MLC's in the legislative Council.