Pacific National Coal Train, Meadowbank 12 December 2015

Another bit of trainspotting!

Whilst waiting at Meadowbank station back in December, a North-bound Pacific National coal train came rumbling through.

A typical consist of 4 x 82 class locos and the NHFF/NHSH type hoppers on the back.

The photos show the difference in appearance of these wagons, from the weathering effects to the extent of graffiti.

8240 on point.

Still looking good 20 years on.

Side shot.

Second unit 8214.

Followed by 8212.

And again.

.

8211 brings up the rear of the loco lash-up.

.

NHSH wagon three-pack.

Same pack.

NHSH 42815 H.

NHFF 42824 on the right.

NHFF 42778 E.

NHFF//NHSH, possibly NHJF.

NHSH 43036 at right.

NHSH type.

Interesting to note the new handbrake wheels applied to some (most) of the wagons now, replacing the four handle handbrake 'spider' typical of NSWGR/SRA rollingstock.

Enjoy!

Broken Hill 11 March 2015

Hi all,

Long time no blog; I have been much more active on Instagram lately, check out my page there at:

Bigdirtyfreighttrains Instagram

Last March I was in Broken Hill for a few days for work, and happily I had the chance to do a bit of trainspotting (actually it was my first real time trainspotting). Broken Hill is a great town located almost literally in the middle of nowhere. The entire town has been heritage listed to preserve the character and history there.

Luckily for me also Broken Hill is very active for a variety of freight trains passing through at all hours of the day.

Not long after I started, a Whyalla-bound steel service passed through with NR95 and NR84 on the front.

NR95 on point; note the LED headlights

NR85 in Southern Spirit Livery

RQBY wagon (unknown #) with a 40' Royal Wolk box

RQFY 130R(?) with an orange and a grey Royal Wolf 20'

Unknown RQHY wagon with two RH 'butterboxes'

RKLY 20439-U with butterboxes

RKLY 20990-W

RKLY 20823

RKLY 20512-R

RQFX 241 (?) with two blue butterboxes

RKCX 178J with a nice looking tarped load

RKCX 5G

RKKY 7372-L billet three-pack

RKWY 30-D (?)

RKWY 2542-H. Wonder what those white X's mean?

Repainted RKDF 20266S

RKKY three-pack

RKKY 7349-E

RKKY 7314-E

Railset wagon RKAX 6J

Empty RKWY

RKWY 2957-W

RKOX 18X (?) missing numbers

ROOX 2936U

And again...

RKFX 40C

Obviously there were many other wagons which I didn't include here.

I hope to be updating the blog more often with both models and the real thing.

Cheers,
BDFT

Weathered Austrains 81 Class

Long time no-post.

Just a quick update with some photos of my Austrains 81 class. Since the last post I've modified the paint scheme to be much closer to the prototype and added weathering and DCC with sound. 

Some pics:

Now looking at the finished product (and comparing it to the original in my previous post) I'm very happy with it. 

A lot of effort for an alleged RTR model but the results speak for themselves. Will surely be adding at least one more to the roster. 

Photos aren't great quality; next time I'll use the camera not the iPhone. 

Cheers.

Freightcorp 81 class - 8155 and Auscision AN3

It's been a while since my last post and quite a few new models have joined the roster, one of which I received only in the last few days.

Austrains 8155 in Freightcorp livery.

It's now well known that the livery is incorrect, but despite this it's a well detailed model. My only other complaint would be the fragility of the horns; one was already broken off when I removed it from the box and the other was only sitting in place; once I removed the body it too landed on the workbench. 

I think the lower chassis will be repainted at some stage; I could actually live with the yellow being too high; but it also has an obvious camber to it (the yellow is higher in the middle compared to the ends; this isnt an optical illusion) which just doesnt look right. 

As said though detail wise it otherwise looks great; and once I get sound installed I'm sure it'll run and sound the part as well.

Other models which I've recently added include;
-AN3 by Auscision (brilliant model, i've installed)

This video was taken before I secured the speakers down with silicon; so the sound is crisper now. 

Also a pack of Freightcorp NPRY wagons by SDS models; to be weathered up. 

I intend to do a comparison of the basic AR Kits NPRY wagon; an upgraded version of the same wagon and the as bought SDS version. 

Cheers,