Dimboola

Dimboola
Dimboola station. This great photo was taken by my son Craig

Saturday 25 February 2012

SCT ABSY wagons

More SCT wagons in model form have arrived. My pack of ABSY in SCT red, white and black have arrived. But what is this, they are all smooth roof numbers. Where are the corrugated roof versions? (Have been informed that will have to wait till the next run for the corrugated roof versions.)
One of the numbers in the pack is ABSY 2800A. That's the one on the right.
Three ABSY units and a PBGY upfront.
There is a bit of a height difference between the two models. the Railmotor model of the PBGY might be a bit high. Can just notice in the distance.

Here is a photo of one of the test shots, with a corrugated roof.

Friday 10 February 2012

Reach Stackers 2

Purchased Kibri 11752 Container trailer loader. (Currently in yellow, but has been released in the past in red). This can also be used as a top grab reach stacker. It is interesting, that when TNT used reach stackers at their Islington terminal in the 1980's, they used the arms to lift from the bottom of the container.

I have modified the kit slightly, by moving the driving cab from the side of the vehicle to the centre and raised it a bit. Many of the safety rails have been left off . This gives an appearance of the type of reach stacker that I am looking for, and I also did not attach the trailer lifting arms. I also added a driver.
This model could also be used for OO scale 1/76. The cab might need to be enlarged, and the brackets that hold the containers need to be cut off and replaced with new ones glued to the sides, and the arms need to be extended.

 Kibri unt against a C-Rail intermodal OO scale container.

Saturday 4 February 2012

Something new

Sunday, started cold and wet for a historic unloading of the new CSR locomotives at Port Adelaide. Two (CSR 005 and CSR 003) had already landed on Saturday evening. The first Pandaroo landed in the morning was CSR 004 after two hours. Next CSR 006 after an hour, then CSR 001 followed by CSR 002, at half hour each.
CSR004

CSR004

CSR006

CSR002

 The blue plastic sheet is coated with anti-rust, while the outer white/green sheet is for water proofing. The locos took two days to load in the China, each having it bogie cradles welded to the hold deck then secured down for the voyage. On arrival the weld is broken.
According to the young Chinese manager from CSR watching the unloading, the remaining four units have yet to be built, though they have all the components. also along for the three months is the design engineer.
Unfortunately we did not get to see the special Pandaroo sheet covering CSR 002. (The first to be loaded in China). As can be seen the wind was ripping the plastic covering off as the emerged from the ship's hold, as in the first photo. It will be over three months before the remaining four units arrive, two will be off-loaded at Newcastle, and the last two, again at Port Adelaide.