I haven't much to show over the last couple of months on the modeling scene. I just thought to share some of my old slides that are from the period that I like to model. Around this time of 1992/93, I had just finished high school and I had lots of time on my hands, fuel was cheap and I really did enjoy this time as I travelled many miles around the countryside.
The North Coast Line was quite uneek around this time as well. There was basically 3 classes of loco running trains up here at that time. All Alco and the youngest would be 20 years old. There was no air conditioners for the crews unless you were on the countrylink roster. Most trains were loaded up to there max so it was a good place to see alco's at work.
Just a side note. These copies of my slides were made simply by photographing them with my 100mm macro lens on my digital camera while sitting on my light box. The quality is OK for the purpose here but not much else.
This shot was taken in 1993 on 44238/44214 on 6290 frieght crossing Dead Dog Creek between Taree and Wingham. This was mostly a load of shipping containers heading for Cooks River. Most of the time this train would be 50% Contrans/TNT, but on this day it was 100% shippers. This train was tabled to run up to 700m long and I have no doubt that on this day it would of been a max load for these Jumbo's of between 2000/2100 tonnes.
Here we have 6382 freight with 4466/4486/4483 on the head as it approaches Mt George in 1993. This train was tabled to run up to 700m long as was in most cases empty Steel wagons.
Here is 6303 as it departs Taree with 4473/4454 leading. This train was mostly shipping but could some days be a real mix of containers and Louvers. It was usually a hand full for it's loco's mostly requiring 3 loco's but on this day was 1950 tonnes and 645m long.
This Train is 6184 on a Monday with 44100/44217. Usually this train is the return of 6269 pickup but as 6116 didn't run on a Monday it finished up having some louvers on it as well as some of it's usual pick up loading. At this time Jumbo's were not allowed to lead number 2 end leading due to Union Bans accounting most likely for the 44 leading and I would say it wouldn't usually get any longer that 400m unless there was lots of loading at Taree.
Here is 6269 pickup freight with 4475/4483 leading up to Wingham. This being a pickup, the first wagon would be for the wingham meat works. The Milk and opens and the 2 NLJX wagons would be for Taree where 4483 would of been left as the Taree Yard Shunter for the Day and returned on 6184 later that day. The next Milk wagon would most likely be for Wauchope and the following containers for Kempsey. The rest I am not sure. It was usual for interstate wagons to be on this train. This train could be on some day quite large until Taree but be less than 400m north after.
6395 was the Steel Train and around this time in late 1993 was starting to get a monster of a train up to 4000t. On this day it had a 44/45/45/44 combo lead by 4482 as it is seen departing Telegraph Point. It had 3469 tonnes on 48 wagons so they were working. today this train is usually around 72 wagons and weighing up to 6000t hauled effortlessly by 3 NR class loco's.
Anyway that is a bit of a look at the trains that inspire my modeling
Cheers Justin Moy
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