Saturday, 31 July 2010
J&J Sightings this week
Hi all.
Got Spoornet maroon 34 067 between Brandfort and Theunissen on the pick-up from Bloemfontein. At road over rail bridge in Ararat street, all five RRL Diesels in Welkom station could be seen. 91 02 has it's engine out for repairs in Pretoria.
Near Harrisburg we got 3x orange 6E's on a Northbound load of Lime. Strangely only half of the load was covered with tarpaulins. The Trans Karoo Tourist came past just before Leeudoringstad behind orange E 1394 OFS, friendly hooting from the crew. A 6E bearing down at you in full flight remains quite an awe inspiring sight... Next we got the pick-up at Makwassie shunting FZ's into the silos. The loco was Spoornet maroon E 1404. Between Kingswood and Drie Ruiters we got a single orange 6E on a Northbound load of rail-bolsters.
The Makwassie - Wolmaransstad line looks like it has not seen a train for quite a while, plenty of sand over the level crossings.
SAR maroon E 1615 & E 1610 headed through Theunissen, light locos to Bloemfontein.
Hamilton had several FZ"s and some petrol tankers.
Greetings.
J&J.
Monday, 26 July 2010
More on the OREX derailment.
Sorry - have forgotten who took this picture!!
Further news about the derailment.
From a contact driver on the Orex line.
It happened between Loop 4 (near Lutzville) and Loop 5.
The locomotives were the third set of traction in the train (Locos + A; Locos + B; Locos + C; Locos). The complete train are called "A, B, C and D".
My source said he crossed the train earlier and suddenly the power cut out. The driver of the derailed train said he looked back when the power switched off and saw the dust as the train derailed.
The front part of the train did not derail, only from the locomotives in front of section C towards the back.
The investigating team are on site. At this stage the cause of the derailment is unsure, but it was most probably a broken rail.
The line will probably be opened for traffic again on Tuesday (tomorrow).
Sunday, 25 July 2010
This weeks action
Hi all.
Caught the normal RRL, Sheltam and Harmony workings all week.
Got an orange 34 class heading down to the showgrounds exchange yards. Glen Harmony station had timber trucks.
Harrismith was visited, Altitude 3519 FT, 241 Miles from Durban. The signal cabin still stands, as does the station. Local businesses are using some of the old station offices. Old water tanks still stand. Several disused, rusting and empty loops bake in the sun... This station has no Shosholoza Meyl palisade, although the Economy Orange does stop here.
Rivierdraai's cabin still stands but badly vandalized with no roof and no floor, 245 Miles from Durban. The line to Industriqua "branches" off here. Judging from the state the line is in there are no more trains that way. Catenary has been removed as has rails. A very overgrown goods platform still exists. Several of the catenary masts on the main line have been knocked / bent by a train and have been left as is.
Passed by Glen Lennie, just a concrete name left.
Paid a quick visit to Bethlehem, no trains. Rails have been uplifted in the station/yard area. A blue 35 and an orange 34 were standing at the loco. A long load of petrol tankers and an orange 36 class in the goods yard area.
Meets had a couple of mielie trucks at the silos.
The spoorbaan were busy at both ends of the tunnel between Meets and Valsriver,
Near Valsriver and Kaallaagte we found old embankments and sandstone bridge abutments of the old alignment. Kaallaagte also has had its goods yard lifted. Here we got orange E 1252 & orange E 1708 NATCOR ONE. They were waiting to proceed to Bethlehem with a short train of AY hoppers. The grass on the platform is so high it almost hides the train.
At Hennenman orange 34 499 came through en-route to Kroonstad with a load of mielies and AY hoppers.
We got orange E 1401 OVS & orange E xxxx, heading North at Leeudoringstad, on a long load of DZ's, mielies and containers Next, just after Grasslands, orange E 144x was standing at a green signal with a short load of FZ's, the pick-up. The adjacent line's signal was showing yellow. Soon the green turned to yellow in front of the pick-up and the yellow turned green. Then 4x blue 18E's came past with a Northbound load of ore. Leading was E 18 350, greetings from the crew. Still the pick-up stayed put. Again the Northbound signal turned green. This time 3x TFR 18E's came past on a load of orange tarpaulined CALJ trucks. Leading was E 18 609. The tarpaulins had Lime Acres stencilled on them. A few weeks ago the Weigh bridge - Test truck was noticed at Leeudoringstad silos. It is now standing at Makwassie.
Greetings.
J & J.
Saturday, 24 July 2010
Ore line derailment
Sent to me by a contact, will add more details about the accident when I get it.
The driver was not killed.
Pictures speak a thousand words.
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Vroue Monument,
We paid a quick visit to the Vroue Monument, here we found green 7th class number 975 Neilson & Co. 4469 Glasgow 1893.
Greetings.
J & J.
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