some more sightings

Hi all.

The first sighting for the week was at Welkom station, RRL on the ore. Just before Virginia we caught the empty car train, to the coast, heading over the Sandriver bridge. This was behind SAR maroon and orange 6E's. At Theunissen we got blue 35 278 shunting the maize traffic at the silos. This loco comes from Bloemfontein and also shunts at Brandfort. This train had one of the rudest drivers, we have seen this old chap before and he never greets, we pity his assistants... At Brandfort we got the spoorbaan busy on the line. Staged in the station area we found orange E 1688 OFS & SAR maroon E 1639, pantos down, no crew. This was a load of FZ's and petrol tankers. Then, between Theron and Theunissen we got a Southbound passenger train behind orange E 1417, blue steam car and a full rake of Shosholoza Meyl coaches and twin diner. This train looked completely empty. Operating informed us that it was a special SWC train from Johannesburg to Bloemfontein. One of the Tourist trains that have been withdrawn for the soccer. Last sighting was again at Welkom station, here we got all RRL's locomotives, moving in and out of the station on ore.

Again on Tuesday RRL were the first sightings. All the silos in our area had mielie trucks and the small Senwes shunters were quite busy. No trains were seen. Between Protespan and Bultfontein we got the spoorbaan busy on the track. Later a white road/rail truck came into Bultfontein station on the rails.

The only sighting on Wednesday was near Brandfort. A Southbound train of empty rail - bolsters behind orange E 1236 & SAR maroon E 1639 "Kaap" headed past at a leisurely pace, a friendly hoot from the crew. The Spoorbaan were still busy at Brandfort. We also paid a quick visit to "Creamery" siding just outside Winburg. The line is completely overgrown and a Pine tree of several meters high has grown in the middle of the per-way.

The first train on Thursday was a long load of mielies coming in from Bultfontein which we got at Friedesheim. This was behind blue 34 039 & 34 409. The train came in very slowly due to safety because of theft of rails and fasteners. Next we got maroon 34 453 & orange 34 499 shunting the silos at Schuttesdraai. The last train was a Northbound load of ore behind maroon & blue 10 E's near Makwassie.

Friday's first sighting was Harmony surface rail, exchanging ore hoppers with Sheltam. The only other train was a Southbound load of containers near Kingswood behind orange E 1415 OFS & E 120x.

Greetings.
J & J.