Loaded iron ore trains at Whyalla are propelled at great speed through the narrow gauge yard and up the grade to the tip pocket. Greg O'Brien witnessed such a movement on 29 Mar 2009, with 1303 and 847 providing the grunt.
Photo: Greg O'Brien
CK5 and 1301 were caught leading an empty ore train near Mount Laura the same day. This train is a 'half and half' of old BHP HSK hoppers and new AHOF hoppers.
Photo: Greg O'Brien
Above and below: CK4 and 902 head an empty ore train near Mount Laura on 8 June 2009. Both are 'graduates' of overhauls at the EDI workshops, Port Lincoln.
Photos: Peter Knife
On arrival at Iron Baron, the above train was to cross a loaded train from Iron Duke. The train is seen arriving at Iron Baron (middle photo above), then it came to a stop at the points at the south end of the triangle at Iron Baron and the driver set up remote control using a radio beltpack. He remained on the ground beside the points while moving the whole train out on the main line beyond the points. He then changed the points (photo above) before reversing the train into the siding, then reset the points for the loaded train to pass (photo below). Once the loaded train had passed, he reversed the procedure before rejoining the lead loco for the remainder of the trip to Iron Duke.
Photo: Peter Knife
1302 and 1301 are seen hauling a loaded ore train at Iron Baron on 8 June 2009, crossing the empty train described above. Their train consists of a number of AHOF wagons, then a long string of HSK class hoppers.
Photo: Peter Knife
Three days after the Whyalla scenes, 1203, 848 and 905 were captured working an empty grain train through Coomunga (above) and at the site of Cummins Stock Siding (below). 848 is the newest addition to the operational fleet at Port Lincoln, having been transferred from Whyalla in December 2008. This train ran on the second-last day of grain haulage on Eyre Peninsula for the 2008-09 season.
