Horsham Yard to close

The Horsham Mill street freight yard is to close for ever in November. Both Vic Track and ARTC have said that no further terminal leases will be give, allowing for the terminal to close. The then could be purchased by the Horsham Regional Council. The North Horsham residence are happy, as
according to the Wimmera Times.
"Horsham North Residents Committee has been lobbying the state and federal governments to decommission the site for 10 months.
Secretary Rae Nelson said the committee had wanted written confirmation from both VicTrack and the Australian Rail Track Corporation that the site would not be used as a freight terminal after October 31.
"This is what we have been working towards and now we have it," she said.
"To have a commercial enterprise removed from a residential area will be a big relief.
"The residents in close vicinity to the terminal will be free from the noise and dust and have a bit of normalcy again."
To put some geography on the situation; housing only makes up half of Mill street behind the terminal. On the rest of the land are Fuel depots, of which BP and Mobil are still very much in operation.
The Council  has a  aim  to remove the rail corridor altogether from Horsham. On one hand, it is requesting a return to rail passenger operations to the city, and on the other, a total removal of rail in the future. The proposed ARTC Horsham bypass, connects Dimboola with Murtoa.

The Wimmera Mail Times 18/9/2013

RELOCATION of the Melbourne-Adelaide rail corridor in Horsham could cost up to $99 million. 
A Horsham Rail Bypass Planning Report by consultants Aurecon has revealed the project would cost about $79 million if roads bridged the bypass route. 
It would cost about $99 million if the road crossings passed under the bypass, which could save up to five minutes in travel time.
The study included a new passenger railway station and estimated clean-up work on the contaminated rail corridor would cost up to $19 million. 
The report also found a potential $20-million saving for the Western Highway bypass if the rail bypass was completed before or at the same time as the road bypass. 
But Horsham Rural City Council chief executive Peter Brown said moving the railway could take up to 30 years. 
He said the report did not recommend any bypass routes.
“Before we could make a judgment we would really need to see where the Western Highway bypass lands and then we should give thought on whether further work should be done on the rail bypass,” he said. 
“The selection of the routes in the report was purely for costing purposes and there has been no work done on where we might actually put the route.”
Council decided to focus on improving passenger rail and the existing rail corridor, rather than working on its relocation at a meeting on Monday night. 
The move coincided with the release of the Horsham North Urban Design Framework, which found the rail corridor separated the neighbourhood from the rest of Horsham.

Oxford Diecast OO reach stacker

My Oxford Diecast OO 1/76 scale reach stacker has arrived Cat No: 76KRS001. Released just 11 days ago, it has made fast passage from the UK. Fully posable, the unit looks very impressive. The only down side is the hydraulic lines are painted on, and at full reach, the containers do not hang straight. It took a bit a careful arrangement to get the container to attach to the handling arm, but it does work.

The above photos shows attached to a C=Rail 40' standard container. Below, the comparison with my HO scale reach stacker.

Next, in Malcolm livery.

And arrived

There has been one other model produced. Atlas Editions reproduced the Konecranes reachstacker in Stobart blue. These models were released as part of a 'part works' series on Eddie Stobart models, and were made by Oxford Diecast.

http://www.eddiestobartmodels.com/LargeImages/Atlas_Editions/4649120_Konecranes%20Stacker_Stobart_Lift%201_Final_Large.JPG 

This model has been reported to be going to be re-released by the mid to end of 2014, Cat No: 76KRS003, under the Oxford Diecast banner.

Here is a real one, operating in  a SMV sales video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2XSgeOCXTI

Building an AQKY container twin set

The AQKY container twin articulated wagons, were converted from 63' AFKX flat wagons by Australian National Railways in 1989. These were originally SFKX flat wagons, built by South Australian Railways Islington workshops. 18 units were built for standard gauge running, passing to Australian Railroad group on privatisation, and now run with QRNational/Aurzon, coded QQPY. (see photo link).

 http://railgallery.wongm.com/albums/wagons/qqpy/E106_2293.jpg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greensleeves94/9382377984/sizes/h/in/photostream/

http://www.pilbararailways.com.au/wagons-westward/qrn/images/3mp1_100819/100819_5125.jpg

To build a set of these, you need two Steam Era Models FQX wagon kits. All that really is going to be used are the decks and head stocks. These are cut down to 144m in length, capable of carrying a 40' container each. The side sills are fabricated from strip of 0.15x0.08 glued to 0.04x0.08, flush along one edge.

The top half, in red, was a FQX that I already had, that was slightly warped, and the other three, obtained from Steam Era Models.
The underframe needs slight modification, as the bogies on the SFKX are about 3mm further back than on the FQX. The centre sill frame needs to filled in right next to where the bogie screw hole is, with some scrap plastic, and once dried, drilled out. I used some of Orient Express Reproductions', new Roller bearing bogies (these have full brake detail), which required a spacer to correct the height. (Not needed if using the Steam Era bogies). Originally, according to plan they were fitted with AN 3X2 bogies: two 50 ton and the centre was a 70 ton ex WAGR.

Almost completed the main conversion. Just need grade control parts, air hoses and brake wheel. If building an AN version, there are shunter steps and hand grabs to add. The brake lines cannot be seen, as on my drawing (A1 1-CM-45) they run inside the main spine frame.

Auscision update, and RMX news.

Auscision announced several years ago, they were going to produce the Commonwealth railways RMX container wagon, in both round and square hole versions. with this project having fallen off the radar, I asked. Yes, it is still in development, and possible due next year. If you model intermodal trains in Australia, this one is a definite requirement, as they operated on all Commonwealth Railway, later AN trains, plus National Rail, and are still going strong, on PN, QRNational/Auzron, and SCT services.

RMX origin flat with QRNational.

Also, what has happened to the 22 class in ARG/GWA orange and black. Well it is in the second run, but, we have to wait till all the NSW 422 class models have sold out.

Samples of their BLX/VBBX were also on show.

AN class. These, according to Peter, leave China on Monday (26/8/2013).

PS VR Z vans are also on the way.

SDS intermodal update

Caulfield is the time to find out what is coming up in production. SDS's new RQGY container wagons are due to go into production very shortly, with all the errors having been sorted out. These would be possibly due by christmas. They are also willing to look into under taking the RQSY, as this just means a change in the deck, while all else is already available.
Their new tank cars for both Victoria and South Australia were released at the show, and are very impressive.

ATBL tank cars.

One wagon that has been on display, usually just displaying their 40' TNT containers, is a 80' JCW/NQJW skeletal flat, with the almost same Victorian VQDW and AN's AQDW. Well, having asked, the JCW/NQJW model is in development. Will be available in pristine livery and road grime, meaning can be used as either Victorian or AN units, plus through to National Rail and Pacific National.

80' JCW skeletal flats.

Also, there is the possibility of some tautliner or curtain sided containers. Possibly in both 40' and 48' units.

Caulfield 2013 report

Early start to the day, as Craig and I caught the first flight to Melbourne. After having our usual breakfast, we headed for Caulfield Racecourse, for the Australian Model railway Association (Victorian Branch) annual exhibition.
Arriving soon after opening, the show already had good attendance. There was a good selection of traders (most of the Australian 'manufacturers' were in attendance) and layouts, many of them new, having not seen before at an exhibition.
One of the larger ones was Kilmore East, running Victorian from the 1960's to present date, both board and standard gauge. The station is at one end, the Apex/Hanson quarry loader at the other, with countryside along the long front.

Kilmore East station

Another fine Victorian layout was Mildura Station, during the 1950/60's.

Mildura Station yard

Locomotive facilities at Mildura.

For something different, and a favourite with the crowds, is the lego layout. It just amazes what these guys can do with plastic blocks, which included Victorian narrow gauge.

Lego Na narrow gauge steam.

Eyarth

Not only Australian layouts. Eyarth is a small end to end layout, operating British railway diesels. All had sound and the signal flags all moved.
What did we pick up. Obtained Auscision's 73 class in CRT livery. This poor little loco was acquired by Wimmera Container Line to shunt the Horsham yard when Freight Australia was purchased by PN, and the Horsham Container service became a pickup service. It was soon replaced by a Lok shunt tractor and dumped at the back of the oil siding.
Plus, some On Track Models VLEX vans at reduced price.

CRT's 73 class

 Having finished at the exhibition, we headed for Frankston, (about forty minutes by train). It was Craig's turn, as we headed to the Braaap shop. If interested in mini motocross, this is the place to  visit for small motocross bikes, parts, clothing, even lessons, and the staff are very friendly.

Dooen grain

On the 6th of August, GWA operated a grain loading from the Wimmera Intermodal Freight terminal at Dooen, just north of Horsham. This was the first time a grain hoppers, CGAY's have been loaded from the terminal by Viterra. As the grain handing terminal has yet to be built by Viterra, the grain was trucked from their grain storage facility one and a half kilometers away, then loaded by a portable loading auger into the grain wagons. Up front were GWU005 2216 and GWU001. Once loading was complete the train departed for Port Adelaide.
This was one of four trains operated to Port Adelaide, by GWA, in early August, with the other three been loaded at the Dimboola Grainflow terminal.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60627979@N02/9453974921/