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End of an Era, Last 48/PL Class on the SMR

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      OK2RUN Assistant Commissioner

    With the departure of 48/PL class ALCO locomotives from running coal trains on the SMR, which began in June 1983 and finished in January 2011 spanning nearly 28 years, I thought it may be worth starting a thread to celebrate this event and allow people to post images, comments, stories of past events, movements etc.

    This idea was sparked when I received the image below from a friend (who has kindly granted permission to post on RP). The train seen departing East Greta Junction in fine ALCO style (driver showing off for the camera?) on the 16th January 2011 is AS252, Unit 49. Locomotives: 48143, PL3, 48120, 48137 plus the usual load of 38 NHTF hoppers. This turned out to be one of the last 48/PL class hauled trains to run on the SMR before both rakes received EL class units on lease from CFCLA.

    If anyone has details of the last run please feel free to post.

    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/IMG_0706-Copy2.jpg[/bigimg]
    Posted: 19 Feb 2011 15:22

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      poppins122325 Chief Train Controller

    Location: Hunter Valley
    Cracking idea OK2RUN

    Just a few from me,









    Posted: 21 Feb 2011 01:59
      sashmo Chief Commissioner
    Posted: 21 Feb 2011 09:26
      OK2RUN Assistant Commissioner

    Thanks Guys for the above images. Great stuff.

    Now some of mine. Taken at East Greta Junction 2007, 2008.

    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0180-1.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0388-1.jpg[/bigimg]

    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0191.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0382.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0380.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0381.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0366.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0177.jpg[/bigimg]
    Posted: 21 Feb 2011 19:21
      SinCity Assistant Commissioner

    Location: Maitland
    48129 @ East Greta Junction



    Made it into a wallpaper if anyone would like the larger size Smile
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 04:15
      poppins122325 Chief Train Controller

    Location: Hunter Valley
    What sizes SinCity?

    And does anyone know if the containerised coal is still going on to Austar?
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 16:28
      Junction box Chief Commissioner

    Location: newy
    Who is to say the 48s will never be back?, Old 48s never die, they just resleeve the rust buckets.
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 18:46
      OK2RUN Assistant Commissioner

    Who is to say the 48s will never be back?, Old 48s never die, they just resleeve the rust buckets.
    "Junction box"

    Funny you should say that. The remaining 48/PL class have been stored in one and two cripple sidings Kooragang for some time now but a visit on Sunday afternoon found all locos moved/remarshalled and the four 48 class were running. For those interested the engine numbers are:
    No. One cripple: 48134, 48137, 48120.
    No. Two cripple: PL3, 48143, PL7, PL5, PL2, PL6.
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 19:13
      chase42211 Chief Commissioner

    Location: A well paid kettle boiler.
    Who is to say the 48s will never be back?, Old 48s never die, they just resleeve the rust buckets.
    "Junction box"

    Funny you should say that. The remaining 48/PL class have been stored in one and two cripple sidings Kooragang for some time now but a visit on Sunday afternoon found all locos moved/remarshalled and the four 48 class were running. For those interested the engine numbers are:
    No. One cripple: 48134, 48137, 48120.
    No. Two cripple: PL3, 48143, PL7, PL5, PL2, PL6.
    "OK2RUN"

    Loco's are now in EDI.
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 20:30
      Raichase Captain Rant!

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Could this be the end of the PL's, or might they move to grain service? I imagine they'd want to keep the 48's servicable, as if the EL's were to pack it in for whatever reason, they'd need something "just incase".
    Posted: 22 Feb 2011 23:35
      Typhon Assistant Commissioner

    Location: I'm that freight train tearing through the sky in the clouds.
    48129 @ East Greta Junction



    Made it into a wallpaper if anyone would like the larger size Smile
    "SinCity"


    Certainly  Smile

    Please PM the link.
    Posted: 23 Feb 2011 02:20
      SinCity Assistant Commissioner

    Location: Maitland
    http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/844/48129bwcd0.jpg

    link for the full size, I do have a larger size but that is on another drive in a currently broken computer.
    Posted: 23 Feb 2011 04:47
      Mainnorthern Train Controller

    Location: NSW
    Some 48ers are still getting around. Saw four of them lead a Bl heading towards Hanbury Jnc this week, could have been a light loco move though, as I couldn't see the train. I'm glad I went and pulled over to watch a quad of just 48's accelerate on an empty to Pelton a couple of weeks ago, I thought it might be worth it and now with this news, it's something special to me.
    Posted: 24 Feb 2011 19:07
      wurx Lithgovian Ambassador-at-Large

    Location: The mystical lost principality of Daptovia
    Some of my favourite pix from the 48/PL era, dating late 2007.

    Down train passes under Northcote St bridge at Weston
    [img]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q262/pixwurx/South%20Maitland%20Railway/Weston/IMG_0535c.jpg[/img]

    PL3 & three siblings notching up with a Down train through Bellbird cutting
    [img]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q262/pixwurx/South%20Maitland%20Railway/Bellbird/IMG_0540c.jpg[/img]

    Down train approaching the bridge over Charles St, Abermain
    [img]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q262/pixwurx/South%20Maitland%20Railway/Abermain/IMG_0536c.jpg[/img]
    Posted: 25 Feb 2011 22:40

    Last edited by wurx on 26 May 2013 22:18; edited 14 times in total
      OK2RUN Assistant Commissioner

    Hey wurx, like the first image. Very unusual angle.

    Here are a few taken at Pelton, 2007, 2008.
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0206.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0204.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0337-1.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0338.jpg[/bigimg]
    The sign reads "DRIVERS MUST NOT PASS THIS BOARD WITHOUT POSSESSION OF THE TOKEN FOR SECTION"

    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0391.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0393-1.jpg[/bigimg]
    [bigimg]http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac217/OK2RUN/PN%20Items/RIMG0395.jpg[/bigimg]
    Posted: 26 Feb 2011 22:57
      Speedbird1 Locomotive Fireman

    Location: Wyee
    PL class  
    Seven Mark 2 locomotives were rebuilt by FreightCorp between 1999 and 2001 as the PL (for PortLink) class.[10] These locomotives were 4848 (became PL1), 4856 (PL7), 4867 (PL6), 4868 (PL4), 4870 (PL3), and 4871 (PL2). Changes included the short end cab nose being lowered, the cab altered, and the installation of air-conditioning. They were designed to operate in push-pull formation on intermodal container trains between Port Botany and Clyde/Yennora.

    PL1 and PL2 were transferred to South Australia after the sale of FreightCorp to Pacific National for use at Keswick Terminal shunting for Great Southern Rail which was prior a National rail contract. PL2 was transferred back to NSW with PL1 remaining in South Australia. In NSW the class saw use on the former South Maitland Railway hauling coal along with 48 class locos. After a long period of storage at Kooragang Island, PL2, PL3, PL5, PL6 & PL7 were scrapped in May 2013.

    Quote Wikipedia 25/5/13

    pity to see this. All those poor engines... Sad
    Posted: 25 May 2013 19:43
      monday Chief Commissioner

    That doesn't sound right - there was recent industry talk that some PL's would be reactivated for additional coal haulage capacity on Pelton, in addition to the EL hauled services.

    I would be curious if they were actually scrapped rather than having being towed elsewhere for reactivation - which someone may have confused their relocation as being.

    That's the problem with Wikipedia, is that its not always accurate.
    Posted: 25 May 2013 22:53
      Raichase Captain Rant!

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    I certainly would have expected their scrapping to have been covered here on Railpage, rather than finding it out second hand from Wikipedia...
    Posted: 26 May 2013 08:09
      wally-wowser1 Train Controller

    Location: overlooking the Mt vic washaway on Soldiers Pinch
    As of yesterday, Sat 25/05/13  the Pl are sitting over in the KCL cripple sideings & the 48's are over in the EDI  sideings. A few things have been removed  for different engines  but easily restored to their former  use  for coal haulage or anything that PN may decide to use them for.


    Wally .
    Posted: 26 May 2013 09:00
      Speedbird1 Locomotive Fireman

    Location: Wyee
    Thats wonderful. Wikipedia may not be so accurate all the time.  So the engines are waiting for servicing. Thats good news. Smile
    Posted: 26 May 2013 10:13
      Junction box Chief Commissioner

    Location: newy
    Whats the point of hiring ELs while PLs sit in storage?
    Posted: 27 May 2013 10:20
      Raichase Captain Rant!

    Location: Sydney, NSW
    Whats the point of hiring ELs while PLs sit in storage?
    Junction box
    I'd wager they're more fuel efficient and better for the crews?
    Posted: 27 May 2013 12:02
      chase42211 Chief Commissioner

    Location: A well paid kettle boiler.
    PL's 5 and 7 departed KCL today dead behind 8226.
    Posted: 27 May 2013 12:28

    Last edited by chase42211 on 01 Jun 2013 14:41; edited 1 time in total
      RTT_Rules Oliver Bullied, CME

    Location: Dubai UAE
    Whats the point of hiring ELs while PLs sit in storage?
    Junction box
    From Wiki,
    EL      3300HP
    PL/48 1050HP

    So assuming your track is good for an EL, slightly more than 3 x the HP. 9 PL/48's to pull same train as 3 x EL.

    I'm going to guess the overall operating cost per hour for a 48 class is not less than 1/3 of an EL.
    Posted: 27 May 2013 15:00
      monday Chief Commissioner

    Actually, grave vine has turned up some more info - the units from KCT are all destined for the junk yard.  Stripping and scrapping.

    Again, cant save everything and even if there were to preserved, what exactly is being preserved ... a solution to a problem in the early 2000's that probably never really existed, or which they never really solved due to reliability issues?
    Posted: 27 May 2013 16:18

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