THE TUESDAY NIGHT MAIL TRAIN
For Tuesday 13-11-18 on the Kanunda & Emu Flat Railway
Thanks to those who attended Tuesday night’s operating session.
PROGRESS
Being away on holiday for much of October did not allow much time to work on the K&EFR. I have put bumpers on the spurs to Sol’s Firewood and the cattle pen at Maranalgo.
The bumpers made of 1mm styrene at the cattle pen.
The bumpers at Sol’s Firewood prevent the open wagon from rolling off the end of the track.
THE SESSION
We had five operators as well as myself for this session. Number one road crew had two members, David and Paul. Peter was the single member of the other road crew, Rod was the Kanunda Yard master, John was hostler and myself controller.
It seemed to me that everything was running pretty efficiently. The first three timetabled trains, the up Overland, down Mt Gambier goods and the Emu Flat passenger all ran as per the time table, but when it came to the Melbourne Jet and the Adelaide super freighter they both ran about ten minutes late. Next the down Overland departing Cooper at 1013 and the Adelaide Jet departing Foster at 1044 both ran on time. The last train of the session, the up Mt Gambier goods departed Foster about thirty minutes late.
However we were efficient in getting all deliveries to their destinations with all cars finally spotted correctly. One unloaded M van (card in the hold box) was inadvertently picked up from Wooldowie by the up Myrtle Springs goods and taken to Kanunda where the Yardmaster put it in another down goods to be returned to Wooldowie.
Sandman Switch has once again been renamed to the Wright switch after Paul changed it while the tank train was passing over it causing a derailment.
So after an enjoyable session we all sat down to tea or coffee and banana cake to debrief.
As the session starts 503, the Kaunda shunt engine, takes on fuel at the Kanunda MPD. A tank car of diesel for locos is ready to be picked up. 840 and 847 which will power the Maranalgo goods and the transfer goods respectively can be seen in the engine shed.
Foster end of staging, also at the beginning of the session: Track 1 the brakevan of the down Mt Gambier goods, first train out departing Cooper. Track 2 has X54 leading the Adelaide super freighter. Track 3 has X49 with headlight on ready to depart Foster at 0608 with the up Overland.
Cooper end of staging at the beginning of the session. In track 1 S301 is ready to depart at 0606 with the down Mt Gambier goods. Track 2: the brakevan of the Adelaide super freighter. Track 3: the up Overland. On track 4 949 heads the down roadside goods. Heading up, on track 5a, 604 and an idler car ,separating 604 from the tank cars of the tank train, can bee seen.
858 has just arrived at Maranalgo, engine and brakevan.
858 has cut off from it’s brakevan and will now pick up the grain hoppers at the silos. On it’s way back to Cooper, and eventually Port Adelaide, as the up grain extra, 858 will pick up more grain hoppers at Kanunda.
Green 503 can be seen idling in Kanunda yard while 961, a red 930 class Alco, is about to couple on to a cattle car. The three vehicles in the foreground will become part of the down Myrtle Springs goods.
961 is now ready to depart Kanunda with the up livestock train headed to Dry Creek via Cooper.
Staging: In track 8 we see 858 with the up grain extra behind which is the up stonie. The wagons in the two tracks (5b & 6b) are the wagons to be picked up by the Mile End to Kanunda Transfer goods and the up roadside goods. The grey OB open wagon is being held at Foster and next session it will convey a load of pallets to Con’s Choice at Wooldowie. The passenger shelter in the foreground is a souvenir from the Adelaide Model Railroaders layout that was in the railway station at Mt Lofty. The layout was torn down when the AMR moved in 1993.
842 running B end forward departs Wooldowie with the down Myrtle Springs goods after setting out an open wagon at the goods shed crane at Wooldowie.
Finally the last train of the session the up Mt Gambier goods headed by BL29 and 940 arrive at Cooper (staging) half an hour late.
All comments and criticisms welcome.
Cheers Ken.
kaefken 