ASR_Q301
03-04-2007, 08:53 AM
10th February 2007
Saturday the 10th of February was the 50th anniversary of the Australian Railway Historical Society – Queensland Division (ARHSQ).
To celebrate, Queensland Rail and the ARHSQ teamed up to run a special from Brisbane to Ebenezer coal branch and Ipswich in Brisbane’s west. The locomotive was the last steam locomotive built in Australia. BB18 and a quarter (BB18 ½) number 1089. A 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive designed for quick acceleration and moderate top speed for commuter
runs.
It was going to be a 10:15 departure from Brisbane’s Roma St station. But QR’s “Sunlander” train from Brisbane to Cairns arrived very late due to cyclonic weather conditions in the north around Cairns. 2216,
a 2000hp EMD based loco was today’s motive power. In the new paint scheme for QRNational.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_2213%20-%20Sunlander%20arriving%20at%20Roma%20St.jpg
Suburban Multiple Unit Series 2 (SMU-II) 237 + 245 arrive at Roma St on a Shorncliffe commuter run.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_209%20_%20245%20-%20Roma%20St.jpg
Suburban Multiple Unit Series 1 (SMU-I) 209 and 210 arrive on a commuter run to Caboolture, about 1 hour into Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_209%20at%20Roma%20St.jpg
1089 makes an appearance about 5 minutes late.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_1089%20arriving%20at%20Roma%20St.j pg
Onboard the train. I did not sit much in here as we could ride on the verandas right behind the locomotive!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_2nd%20class.jpg
1089 at Roma St having some photos taken.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_1089.jpg
The photos stop here until we hit Ipswich, 1 hour from here. The video camera came out instead! Brisbane has a “City-Circle” of parically underground stations of Roma St – Central – Brunswick St stations. The look on commuters faces to see a RARE steam train going through the tunnels was great. Usually it’s a really big no-no to have steam going through the tunnels, but due to construction on platform 3, we had to depart from platform 10 and take the tunnel route.
VIDEOS:
Departing Roma St and through the tunnel towards Central.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqScvDaBrqw
Brunswick Street to the EKKA Grounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnvsxqNLY6Y
The EKKA grounds to Milton.
At Indooroopilly, (pronounced: Indraw-pillie), the train crosses the magnificent looking bridge over the Brisbane River.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Crossing%20the%20brisbane%20river% 20at%20Indooroopilly.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuNiEMVV-AY
Passing through Toowong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfHqj97e8co
Arriving at Corinda. At Corinda, we arrived 10minutes early! So while waiting, the crew got off and sat on the platform.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Resting%20crew.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcRM7C7XZPg
Crossing the Westlander at Corinda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYtSh7KgiyY
Departing Corinda. Nothing really to take a photo of apart from the coupler!!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_departing%20Corinda.jpg
Arriving at Ipswich, the passengers could get off for about 10minutes while the locomotive look on water.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_back%20in%20time.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Taking%20on%20water%20at%20Ipswich .jpg
Arriving at Ipswich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5qF9cTduwg
Departing Ipswich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNZEBqsTbO4
After the tour around the Ebenezer coal line, the train took the branch line out to the Ipswich Railway Museum where all of QR’s steam locomotives are stored and serviced. There are currently 4 steam locomotives in operation . But grants from the state government will mean that QR will be able to restore 10 steam locomotives by 2010.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_arriving%20at%20Ipswich%20Railway% 20Museum.jpg
One of my favorite QR steam locomotives, AC16 221A is getting some boiler work done to it. QR’s steam locomotive numbering system sees that the first number represents the size of the cylinder expressed in inches. AC16 221A has a cylinder diameter of 16 inches. The 221 is the road number and “A” means first rebuild. The AC stands for “American”. This locomotive was built by Baldwin and sent over here. Often, its just called “The Yank”.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_AC16%20221A.jpg
A PB15 ¼ is undergoing a major overhaul. This should be the next locomotive in action next year.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_PB15%20732.jpg
Queensland Rail also had a fleet of narrow gauge Garret class locomotives. 3”6 gauge made these locomotives feel huge!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Garrat%201009.jpg
C17 974 was originally going to be hauling the steam special today, but due to QR breaking the scales to weigh the locomotives, it could not be authorized to run on the mainline until 2 weeks after the trip!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_C17%20974.jpg
This is a machine where it lines up with the different areas of the workshop and a locomotive can roll onto here and it can slide down the workshop complex to different areas where it is required. GE also have a similar (but more modern!) machine at their Erie plant. Our theory was, why walk when you can use this thing?
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_lcoo%20transfer.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Ipswich.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_IMG_3857.jpg
We also got a tour of the blacksmith shops and got to see how it was like in the early days of railways how tools such as spiking hammers were manufactured by the railways. A very interesting field of work!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_black%20and%20white%20smith.jp
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_sparks.jpg
At the museum part of the workshops, they also had an excellent HO scale railway setup all themed on 4 regions of the state which Queensland Rail operates. Different scenery and different trains running. Was a huge layout! Unfortunately, I did not get many photos of it!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_nice%20model%20railway.jpg
Queensland Rail also supplied the museum with a mockup cab of their Tilt Train (see other trip report). This is what the cab looks like.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Tilt%20Train%20cab.jpg
One of the big highlights was going for a drive in QR’s locomotive simulator. They actually took the cab of a real locomotive that got scrapped in a level crossing accident and got a bent frame. So they turned it into this for the museum. I was having a drive of it! Authentic sound!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_me%20having%20a%20drive%20of%20171 0.jpg
Heading back to Brisbane, we got up to around 100kph through Gailes and Darra. Very impressive for this locomotive!
Getting overtaken at Graceville by a 6 car EMU.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My0pwJoHB44
Passing Mayne depot, a QR ICE (Inter-City Express), a SMU-II, a SMU-I and IMU (Interurban Multiple Unit Series 1), along with 2 EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) are getting serviced. This would have been magic if the trains were all about a yard forward more!!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_all%20lined%20up.jpg
At Bowen Hills, to get back onto the mainline, we first had to allow 2 QR CityTrain services to go before us. This meant a 10 minute wait. It was quite funny to see the drivers and guards of the suburban trains to be leaning out the doors of the moving trains and taking photos of the steam train!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9nTF_spqwQ
Departing Bowen Hills.
Back through the tunnels at Central! Some may not find this aspect of the trip that interesting, wow, just another tunnel? I loved it! Its because I had travelled through these tunnels nearly 5 or 6 times a day on suburban commuter trains, but never on a steam train. The look on people’s faces at Central station, which is mostly covered when 1089 blew a safety valve was great!! Highlight of the day for me!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wsgfdx1jRE
The author and the motive power.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_me%20and%201089.jpg
That concludes the trip report for the 10th of February 2007! I hope you all enjoy the photos and videos!! More photos and videos to come, but no more steam! Plenty of ALCo action though, so stay tuned!
>Mike F<
Perth, Western Australia
Rail Around Australia (http://mikesaustralianphotos.fotopic.net/)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/mforster2/Clipboard01.jpg
Saturday the 10th of February was the 50th anniversary of the Australian Railway Historical Society – Queensland Division (ARHSQ).
To celebrate, Queensland Rail and the ARHSQ teamed up to run a special from Brisbane to Ebenezer coal branch and Ipswich in Brisbane’s west. The locomotive was the last steam locomotive built in Australia. BB18 and a quarter (BB18 ½) number 1089. A 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive designed for quick acceleration and moderate top speed for commuter
runs.
It was going to be a 10:15 departure from Brisbane’s Roma St station. But QR’s “Sunlander” train from Brisbane to Cairns arrived very late due to cyclonic weather conditions in the north around Cairns. 2216,
a 2000hp EMD based loco was today’s motive power. In the new paint scheme for QRNational.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_2213%20-%20Sunlander%20arriving%20at%20Roma%20St.jpg
Suburban Multiple Unit Series 2 (SMU-II) 237 + 245 arrive at Roma St on a Shorncliffe commuter run.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_209%20_%20245%20-%20Roma%20St.jpg
Suburban Multiple Unit Series 1 (SMU-I) 209 and 210 arrive on a commuter run to Caboolture, about 1 hour into Brisbane’s northern suburbs.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_209%20at%20Roma%20St.jpg
1089 makes an appearance about 5 minutes late.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_1089%20arriving%20at%20Roma%20St.j pg
Onboard the train. I did not sit much in here as we could ride on the verandas right behind the locomotive!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_2nd%20class.jpg
1089 at Roma St having some photos taken.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_1089.jpg
The photos stop here until we hit Ipswich, 1 hour from here. The video camera came out instead! Brisbane has a “City-Circle” of parically underground stations of Roma St – Central – Brunswick St stations. The look on commuters faces to see a RARE steam train going through the tunnels was great. Usually it’s a really big no-no to have steam going through the tunnels, but due to construction on platform 3, we had to depart from platform 10 and take the tunnel route.
VIDEOS:
Departing Roma St and through the tunnel towards Central.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqScvDaBrqw
Brunswick Street to the EKKA Grounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnvsxqNLY6Y
The EKKA grounds to Milton.
At Indooroopilly, (pronounced: Indraw-pillie), the train crosses the magnificent looking bridge over the Brisbane River.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Crossing%20the%20brisbane%20river% 20at%20Indooroopilly.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuNiEMVV-AY
Passing through Toowong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfHqj97e8co
Arriving at Corinda. At Corinda, we arrived 10minutes early! So while waiting, the crew got off and sat on the platform.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Resting%20crew.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcRM7C7XZPg
Crossing the Westlander at Corinda.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYtSh7KgiyY
Departing Corinda. Nothing really to take a photo of apart from the coupler!!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_departing%20Corinda.jpg
Arriving at Ipswich, the passengers could get off for about 10minutes while the locomotive look on water.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_back%20in%20time.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Taking%20on%20water%20at%20Ipswich .jpg
Arriving at Ipswich.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5qF9cTduwg
Departing Ipswich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNZEBqsTbO4
After the tour around the Ebenezer coal line, the train took the branch line out to the Ipswich Railway Museum where all of QR’s steam locomotives are stored and serviced. There are currently 4 steam locomotives in operation . But grants from the state government will mean that QR will be able to restore 10 steam locomotives by 2010.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_arriving%20at%20Ipswich%20Railway% 20Museum.jpg
One of my favorite QR steam locomotives, AC16 221A is getting some boiler work done to it. QR’s steam locomotive numbering system sees that the first number represents the size of the cylinder expressed in inches. AC16 221A has a cylinder diameter of 16 inches. The 221 is the road number and “A” means first rebuild. The AC stands for “American”. This locomotive was built by Baldwin and sent over here. Often, its just called “The Yank”.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_AC16%20221A.jpg
A PB15 ¼ is undergoing a major overhaul. This should be the next locomotive in action next year.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_PB15%20732.jpg
Queensland Rail also had a fleet of narrow gauge Garret class locomotives. 3”6 gauge made these locomotives feel huge!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Garrat%201009.jpg
C17 974 was originally going to be hauling the steam special today, but due to QR breaking the scales to weigh the locomotives, it could not be authorized to run on the mainline until 2 weeks after the trip!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_C17%20974.jpg
This is a machine where it lines up with the different areas of the workshop and a locomotive can roll onto here and it can slide down the workshop complex to different areas where it is required. GE also have a similar (but more modern!) machine at their Erie plant. Our theory was, why walk when you can use this thing?
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_lcoo%20transfer.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Ipswich.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_IMG_3857.jpg
We also got a tour of the blacksmith shops and got to see how it was like in the early days of railways how tools such as spiking hammers were manufactured by the railways. A very interesting field of work!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_black%20and%20white%20smith.jp
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_sparks.jpg
At the museum part of the workshops, they also had an excellent HO scale railway setup all themed on 4 regions of the state which Queensland Rail operates. Different scenery and different trains running. Was a huge layout! Unfortunately, I did not get many photos of it!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_nice%20model%20railway.jpg
Queensland Rail also supplied the museum with a mockup cab of their Tilt Train (see other trip report). This is what the cab looks like.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_Tilt%20Train%20cab.jpg
One of the big highlights was going for a drive in QR’s locomotive simulator. They actually took the cab of a real locomotive that got scrapped in a level crossing accident and got a bent frame. So they turned it into this for the museum. I was having a drive of it! Authentic sound!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_me%20having%20a%20drive%20of%20171 0.jpg
Heading back to Brisbane, we got up to around 100kph through Gailes and Darra. Very impressive for this locomotive!
Getting overtaken at Graceville by a 6 car EMU.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My0pwJoHB44
Passing Mayne depot, a QR ICE (Inter-City Express), a SMU-II, a SMU-I and IMU (Interurban Multiple Unit Series 1), along with 2 EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) are getting serviced. This would have been magic if the trains were all about a yard forward more!!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_all%20lined%20up.jpg
At Bowen Hills, to get back onto the mainline, we first had to allow 2 QR CityTrain services to go before us. This meant a 10 minute wait. It was quite funny to see the drivers and guards of the suburban trains to be leaning out the doors of the moving trains and taking photos of the steam train!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9nTF_spqwQ
Departing Bowen Hills.
Back through the tunnels at Central! Some may not find this aspect of the trip that interesting, wow, just another tunnel? I loved it! Its because I had travelled through these tunnels nearly 5 or 6 times a day on suburban commuter trains, but never on a steam train. The look on people’s faces at Central station, which is mostly covered when 1089 blew a safety valve was great!! Highlight of the day for me!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wsgfdx1jRE
The author and the motive power.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/East%20Coast%202007/Ebenezer%20trip_me%20and%201089.jpg
That concludes the trip report for the 10th of February 2007! I hope you all enjoy the photos and videos!! More photos and videos to come, but no more steam! Plenty of ALCo action though, so stay tuned!
>Mike F<
Perth, Western Australia
Rail Around Australia (http://mikesaustralianphotos.fotopic.net/)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/mforster2/Clipboard01.jpg