G539 and BL31 crawl through Horsham at walking pace due to more signal issues by bukk05
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6MP9 SCT service from Melbourne to Perth passes through a wet Balhannah station on 1-6-1996 hauled by G539,G537,ALF20,GM30
Pacific National's X48 makes a rare appearance leading train 7940V with G539 & BL27. The train is seen near Elmhurst running empty from Maryborough to Ararat.
After being discharged earlier in the day, empty PN grain service 7741V is ready to depart the yard at Portland behind BL33/G539/X50 on Tuesday the 6th of August 2024. A locomotive shortage at the time saw the ageing X50 being used exclusively between Maroona and Portland as a banker, regularly being detached by a empty train and being picked up by a loaded train within a 2 hour window. On arrival at Maroona, the X would once again be shunted off for that evening’s loaded 7740V (G519/BL32) back to Portland, while 7741V would continue onto Murtoa to stable before heading to Warracknabeal as 9785 the next day.
The Portland railway line only sees semi-regular grain traffic and is subjected to a gruelling 40kph speed restriction from Maroona to Portland and return, making for a slow and boring trip for train crews. During the winter months, trains often run nocturnally however the empties occasionally depart in daylight. The 2024 Federal budget saw $150 million allocated to upgrade the line from a 19 tonne axle-load to 23 tonnes, with the aim of reducing rail travel times by 2 hours and returning speeds to 80kph, reducing the requirement of extra locomotives and to make rail transport more competitive in the area.
© Dom Quartuccio 2024.
Having arrived at Carwarp earlier in the morning, empty PN grain service 7937V awaits loading to commence behind 8163/G539 on Wednesday the 10th of July 2024. This train originated at Murtoa the evening prior as 7732V to Maroona, then ran around to form 7937V.
The shunt at Carwarp sees the first 21 wagons loaded while the rear 19 wagons sit on the mainline at the Ouyen end, later the locomotives would run around the first portion and place that at the Yatpool end of the yard before grabbing the other wagons for loading. After loading is completed, the locomotives would run around the 19 hoppers and reform the full 40 wagon consist, perform a brake test and sit for a few hours to await its crew as 7936V to Ararat, later forming 7734V to North Geelong to discharge.
© Dom Quartuccio 2024.
V544/ G539/ G542 are on 1PM9 SCT service seen near Stratton on 11 March 2007. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
V544/ G539/ G542 are seen on 1PM9 a departing SCT service from Forrestfield on 11 March 2007. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
Triple Freight Australia painted G520/ G519/ G539 on 1PM9 SCT freight departing Forrestfield on 18 February 2007. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
G531/ G539/ G538 on 1PM9 SCT freight departing Forrestfield on 11 February 2007. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
G539/ G526/ G527 on 1PM9 SCT freight departing Forrestfield on 4 February 2007. Photo: Jim Bisdee.
After being loaded during the long weekend, PN grain service 7732V from Marmalake to North Geelong works into the yard limits of Ararat behind the combination of EMD units XR559/G527/X48/G539 on Monday the 11th of March 2024.
A larger than anticipated harvest in the Wimmera area has seen PN and SSR hauling a variety of main line and branch line trains in recent weeks, PN currently have 6 grain rakes devoted to moving this harvest to the ports of Geelong and Portland. After discharging in Geelong and later shunting XR559 off at Gheringhap, this consist returned to Murtoa as 7731V. It’s becoming quite uncommon to see XR’s leading in Victoria on the SG, as the rough ride quality and the poor track conditions make for an uncomfortable shift for train crews.
© Dom Quartuccio 2024.
