Perth to Mandurah Rail Link. Motive Power used to construct

ARG_Q301 · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 12:12 am

G'day!

First of all, what an excellent forum this is! My name is Michael (aka: Mike). I am a moderator over at the train-sim.com forums.

Onto business...for my university course, I am required to do a research topic on anything we like. If have decided to do mine about the feasibility of the Perth to Mandurah Rail Link. Any people living in Perth will understand there is some controversy with this link. I have found the other posts about the Mandurah link of great interest.

Back when I was in grade 2 of school, I remember Mum used to take me on a drive down the freeway when they were constructing the Perth-Currinbine line. I remember good old Westrail locos such as A's, AB's and DB's working on many different trains down the line.

My question is would anyone have any idea to what motive power we might see running ballast/rail trains when the construction of the Mandurah Rail Link is underway? Friends thought it might be South Spur Rail. But they only have about 10 locomotives, most of which are on standard gauge?

Is there a possibility of seeing double DB's on a ballast train going down the Kwinana Freeway?

Thanks in advance! Smile

>Mike Forster<
pacificnational_nr103@hotmail.com

Riccardo · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 8:18 am

I think there was no specific motive power selected for the Joondalup line, and would expect similar for the Mandurah line.

One of the updates on the Clarkson extension shows a locomotive IIRC, this would give you a clue. With 60kg rail and concrete sleepers, I would imagine anything they have would be allowed.

ARG_Q301 · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:21 am

Riccardo...I caught a SSRS NA Class up at Clarkson once. But it took a while to build 6 km of track with the one loocmotive Laughing

I guess time will tell! Very Happy

Thanks for your reply!

>Mike Forster<
pacificnational_nr103@hotmail.com

chrisr001 · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:47 am

hi mike

i know a bit about this cause i live in perth to !!

before when the NSTS (official name of line - nothern suburbs transit system) was built, westrail - the WA gov rail freight arm was 'contracted' to assist transperth - the WA gov paggenger arm. thus it was '1 brother helping another'

now that the freight arm is gone, the loco's used is anyone's guess, but CFCLA a major leasing company, is having a number of NARROW guage ballest wagons fixed to 'be in a state of use' and ready to be used ASAP. could these be linked?

if you would like more information, feel free to PM me

Chris

ARG_Q301 · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2004 6:05 pm

Thanks a lot for that information Chris! Smile

Hehehe, I live at the 2nd last station of the NSTS. Hearing 2 x DB's notch up out of Joondalup station (in the tunnels) was something to be seen/heard! Very Happy

There was a rumour a while ago that those ex-Austrac NA's were going to be purchased by SSRS. Perhaps they could put them back onto narrow gauge? Smile

>Mike Forster<
pacificnational_nr103@hotmail.com

WASTATIONS · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2004 5:39 pm

hi all, Yeah i think it will more than likely be SSRS, who get the contract for transporting the ballast on the new Manduarh line. I feel this because
ARG has a shortage of locomotives, therefore it's always SSRS, who
carry out, transporting the ballast, along the WA railway system.

more than likely, the motive power used to transport the ballast will be
either, NA1874, R1902, ZB2129 or even F40.

Other loco's that might be used, could be HVTR's Z1152, as this loco was used in the construction of the Nowergup Depot.

If ARG, did have anything to do with the motive power side of things, you'd probably see, AB's or A's, but I doubt ARG will be involved.

anyways, I do remember hearing somewhere, that ballast transportation, may not be done by rail on the mandurah line... so who knows??

anyways see ya

Don