UPDATES & NEWS
UPDATES
Just when the future of the 3 units involved in the Beresfield accident
of 1997 (8219, 8246 & 8247) had been decided and they were to be written
off there has been another twist to this incredible saga. A last minute
proposal by Clyde Engineering may yet see one of these units rebuilt as
an additional spare unit. As I'm told the whole Ready Power fleet will
be overhauled during the next few years and whilst each unit would receive
an overhaul there would be shortages of locomotives. This latest proposal
would see an extra unit available to cover for the shortages during the
period of overhauls. More details as they become known.
NEWS
INDUSTRY
Howard Smith (owners of Goninans) have announced their intention to
sell off the Goninans company. There has been much speculation as to who
is likely to buy this company with some suggestions ranging from General
Electric in the USA to EDI (Clyde Engineering) in Australia. There is no
doubt that the final decision will have a major impact on the future of
new locomotive sales in Australia in the next century. We will report further
on this next issue.
CITY RAIL
Cityrail has begun repainting the remaining 620 class railcar fleet
that are all based in Newcastle. The new livery is based on that of the
newer Endeavour car fleet. 623/723 are seen below in the Newcastle storage
sidings and a second set 628/728 are being repainted at Chullora (R.S.A.)
workshops . Five of these vintage railcar sets remain in active service
in Newcastle..
Rail Services Australia (R.S.A.)
Recently RSA released 4819 from their Chullora Workshops in another
new livery. One view of this unit was on the cover of this issue whilst
another is seen here. Note the unit is fitted with the "elephant trunk"
style exhaust stack. This livery is expected to be adopted to all RSA units
in future. 4502 is presently being prepared for a return to service with
RSA. RSA units are only used on their work trains.
Photographed by Stephen Preston
GREAT SOUTHERN RAILWAY
In recent months the motive power for GSR's Overland services from
Melbourne to Adelaide has changed from National Rail's NR class to
the BL class.
Photographed by Ray Marsh
S.C.T.
Former Westrail unit H3 is now repainted and renumbered 101. The unit
is in the new SCT livery and shunts the SCT Dynon terminal in Victoria.
Photographed by Ray Marsh
B.H.P. IRON ORE
B.H.P. Iron is shortly to take delivery of 8 new AC6000 units
from G.E. These units are being built at the GE plant in Erie, Pennsylvania
USA and we have received a photo of the first unit on trial in the USA.
John Netzlof wrote to us and said:
"Here is the picture of BHP 6070 we discussed last week. The picture
was taken 20 Feb., 1999, in Brockway, Pennsylvania. The train is the regular
southbound freight (BFBT) of the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad from Buffalo,
New York, to Butler, Pa. The point where the picture was taken is about
193 miles south of Buffalo. I assume, but don't know, that the test car
and the unit under test were cut off at Punxsutawney, Pa; as I was told
that they went north on Sunday, working the BTBF freight".
We thank both John and Bob Netzlof from the USA for making this information
and their photograph available to us here in Australia. Also note the livery
of the leading B&PR unit on this train. Does it look familiar?
