SteamRanger Enthusiast Pages

"From the Footplate" - SteamRanger's Enthusiast Website

This Webpage

commences by describing some recent track maintenance activities,
then describes the challenges and procedures involved in each area of work
and finally shows some of the equipment used.

Current and Recent Activities

Recently completed infrastructure tasks include:

Victor Harbor Barracks and Turntable

The work for the dole group is continuing with the activity at this location. Their recent efforts have seen them substantially improve the condition of the grass and weeds, through lots of poisoning, slashing and trimming. They are currently focusing on the turntable area, where work has commenced on re-cladding the turntable tractor shed. This shed has suffered from the salt air and this work is not before time.

Middleton Station

The Middleton Tavern social group has donated funding towards upgrading the station entrance on Mindacowie Ave. This has seen SHR involved in the construction of traditional rail fencing and the provision of yard gates. Future aspects are to include new signage, gardens and possibly improved pedestrian access. This mutually beneficial arrangement will improve SteamRanger's presentation while also improving the townscape. The social group will maintain the entrance once initial work is complete. Daryl Simon's photo shows the view through the newly installed gates towards the Middleton Tavern.

Perway Resleepering

A significant effort has been undertaken in a number of locations with 358 sleepers being renewed in the last few months. The locations for attention were 85 to 86km, 90 to 91km, 92.5km curve, Finniss yard, 115.5km Goolwa curve, 130.3km pine tree tunnel Victor Harbor. With all usable material in stock having been exhausted, work on resleepering has stopped due to lack of train operating revenue severely restricting expenditure. This is most frustrating as the very efficient re-sleepering gang is waiting to get on with more work.

Plant - Main Line Tamper

After 14 months of negotiations, we have secured for SteamRanger a broad gauge main line tamper being a Mark II Electromatic Torsion Beam series. This machine was owned by John Holland Plant in Melbourne and was transported by road to Mt Barker on 24th July. The machine is perfect for our type of operation as its main control systems are electrical, meaning that longer term storage is less of a problem as against full hydraulic type tampers. This tamper can perform all main line surfacing tasks but is also versatile in that it can be used without the front torsion bean and thus just as a spot tamper for small jobs or even turnouts. As part of the deal, a significant amount of spare parts were supplied, plus a second torsion beam tamper on standard gauge and in poor condition was provided for use as spares. Our existing Plasser machine will be disposed of to a third party.

It is now very pleasing to know that SteamRanger is fully enabled to maintain its own track infrastructure well into the future with our resleepering plant, the now broad gauge Ballast Regulator ready to operate thanks to Phil Neville, and now our main line broad gauge tamper acquisition.

We hope to perform some tamping work in the Goolwa to Middleton section before the Christmas holidays, where we will use external expertise as a training exercise for SteamRanger track maintenance personnel.

Track Audit

The annual detailed track audit between Mt Barker and Goolwa was performed during September by Transfield Services. It was a good result with minimal faults or non-conformances requiring rectification. This means that we will continue with our annual strategic upgrading programme as it is producing the results SteamRanger needs to survive - a programme which is of course dependent on financial availability. Transfield Services will conduct a further audit between Goolwa and Victor Harbor during October.

Signals & Telegraph

During late September a new set of flashing light masts were pre-wired at our S&T workshop in Mt Barker. As a result the poor condition masts at Hutchinson St Goolwa were changed out over two weekends.

The original masts dated from the initial flashing light signal installation in 1975 and were well past their use by date, mainly due to the severe corrosion and rust caused by salty air. Our photo shows Damien Brown and Dylan Badenoch hard at work work under the eagle eye of Daryl Simon.

Other signal maintenance work has included the time consuming fault finding and rectification of a problem with power supply in Strathalbyn, general monthly servicing and track lead & battery renewals at Port Elliot. A full audit of signal infrastructure by Transfield Services has been scheduled to occur in late October.

Like to Help Us?

The Infrastructure Mananger once again thanks all of our workers who have continued to assist with infrastructure maintenance, whether in the environmental, track, buildings or signals sections. The observable results are speaking for themselves, but more hands are always needed!

If you have an interest in any of the infrastructure maintenance aspects of SteamRanger and would like to volunteer some of your time then we would be pleased to hear from you.

For more information please call Troy Barker on 0419 803 526
or email troybarker@steamranger.org.au.

Updated: 12th June 2009

A quick overview of our 80 kms of Track

Mt Barker to Mt Barker Junction

This section of track is used only infrequently by SteamRanger for Junction Jogger railcar services. The line travels through a deep cutting before passing through a tunnel built under the South Eastern Freeway in the 1970s using circular steel lining sections and then crosses the Old Mt Barker Road at grade before winding through the outskirts of Littlehampton and on a elevated embankment alongside the roadway up the valley of the Mt Barker Creek to the site of the abandoned Mt Barker Station. The track terminates at a dead-end alongside the old platform, parallel to the main standard gauge line. There is no run-around trackwork and double ended railcars must be used or a second locomotive attached at the rear to haul consists back to Mt Barker.

Large trees overhang the track and brush invades the line at many points and both need to be kept well trimmed. Drains and culverts in cuttings near the tunnel must be kept clear to prevent ballast degradation. The maximum nominal track speed in this section is 25kph.

Mt Barker to Strathalbyn

Leaving Mt Barker the line skirts the residential area, crossing Mt Barker Creek on a low level causeway, and then climbs through forested cuttings to the crest of the line at Philcox Hill (above).

The track then descends to Strathalbyn on a long extended grade, crossing the main Strathalbyn road at Gemmells. The steeply graded curved sections (as typified by this photo just beyond Stirling Hill Rd) are often on high embankments or through cuttings, and require particular attention in regard to maintenance of gauge and correct curvature under the stresses imposed by our 200 tonne locomotives and 40 tonne passenger cars.

The ranges can be subject to heavy rainfall and the large trees along the trackside and on sides of cuttings can be struck by lightening or be uprooted by a combination of heavy rainfall and high winds making a full track inspection before each movement obligatory. The maximum nominal track speed in this section is 40kph.

Strathalbyn to Goolwa

The next section from Strathalbyn to Goolwa initially traverses relatively level countryside, in places well away from public roads, with difficult access by road vehicles. The line crosses three major watercourses on significant bridges and flooding and erosion of the trackbed is common through the winter.

Track maintenance involves clearing and widening of trackside drains and rebuilding of the trackbed where it has been washed away by flash flooding. Regular inspection and maintenance of cuttings and embankments is required. This photo shows a section of track just south of Black Swamp bridge.

SteamRanger's Goolwa Depot is passed just prior to Goolwa township itself. Some of our track maintenance equipment and vehicles are based here and track inspections from Goolwa to Victor Harbor are conducted by locally resident volunteers. The maximum nominal track speed in this section is 65kph.

Goolwa to Victor Harbor

From Goolwa the line traverses flat farmland to Pt Elliot. There are a number of main road level crossings in this section.

From Pt Elliot the last 6 kilometres of track into the terminus of the line at Victor Harbor runs on an embankment along the back of the beach beside the Southern Ocean. This section, shown in this photo, is continuously subject to sand drifts across the track, caused in part by severe damage to the fragile plant species which would naturally bind the sand hills.

Salt spray causes accelerated corrosion, not only of the track but also structures such as culverts and bridges. Cuttings passing through sandy soil are subject to collapse, especially after heavy rain. The maximum nominal track speed in this section is 65kph.

Some Statistics

Generally, wooden sleeper (tie) life is 25 years requiring the replacement of 4000 sleepers per year. Being a broad gauge (1600mm) line, sleepers are 2.8 metres long and weigh up to 100 kg, depending on the species of wood.

The track by modern day standards is unusual in that it is entirely composed of jointed rails. Each rail is secured to the next with heavy steel plates and bolts, that allow expansion and contraction of the 40 foot rails. The positive side to this old style of structure is the lack of track buckles in high temperatures. The negative side is every joint plate and bolt require oiling once a year, all 26240 plates, 78720 bolts and periodic tightening or replacing.

The 76 Road Crossings require constant monitoring of sign condition as these have an effective life of only 7 years.

Bridges, Turntables and Station Cranes

Turntables

Turntables are located at Mount Barker, Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor. The 85 foot electrically driven turntables at Mt Barker and Victor Harbor can turn any of SteamRanger's locomotives and railcars, whilst the 53 foot manually rotated table at Strathalbyn can turn Rx and F class steam locos, 350 and 500 class DE locos and Brill railcars.

The Mt Barker turntable is located in-line on the track between Mt Barker Junction and Mt Barker and was relocated from Bridgewater in the Adelaide Hills by SteamRanger and installed in a newly built pit. In SAR days, locomotives were turned at Mt Barker using a triangle located in what is now the caravan park The other turntables are on spur lines in areas of the station yard previously used as locomotive running depots.

Mt Barker TT looking towards MB Junction

Strath turntable with historic watertank

621 moves off the Victor Harbor turntable

Bridges

The line passes over six significant bridges of varying construction and a number of smaller bridges over watercourses. Leaving Mt Barker, major bridges cross in turn the Angas River just before Strathalbyn and the Finniss River, Tookayerta Creek, and Currency Creek before the line reaches Goolwa. The line then crosses Watsons Gap and finally the Hindmarsh River before entering Victor Harbor.

The Angas, Finniss, Black Swamp and Currency Creek bridges were originally built in the latter half of the 1800s and rebuilt or strengthened in the mid 1900s to handle the heavier locomotives introduced in the "Webb era". In general the original piers have been retained and spans replaced with steel girders or lattice girders, although the Finniss bridge has a single steel span raised just 150mm above the original and now redundant piers.

The current Watsons Gap bridge is an early example of an arch reinforced concrete bridge and the Hindmarsh River bridge rebuilt in 1907 was the first beam and slab concrete bridge in Australia. More information on the heritage of this bridge can be found HERE
Both bridges replaced earlier timber bridges.

Each of the bridges has been subjected to a professional engineering accreditation since SteamRanger took over the line and is monitored on an ongoing basis in regard to sleeper and steel girder condition and for internal reinforcement corrosion in the case of the concrete bridges.

F251 on Angas River Bridge, Strathalbyn		Rx207 crosses the Finniss River		Black Swamp bridge over Tookayerta Ck
621 on our highest bridge, Currency Creek		F251 on Watsons Gap "Eggshell" bridge		Alexandra Bridge entering Victor Harbor

Station Cranes

Most major SAR stations were equipped with goodsheds, dedicated freight loading platforms and ramps and hand operated cranes for unloading freight from road vehicles into open goods wagons.

Four heritage cranes have been preserved on our branch line; one at Mt Barker Depot (left),
two at Strathalbyn (centre & right) and one at Victor Harbor.
The only other evidence of a station crane is at Goolwa, where a large concrete mounting base remains
adjacent to the Victor Harbor end door of the goods shed.

Pictured are the two cranes of quite different designs at Strathalbyn. Both were rated at 5 tons, with the one adjacent to the goods shed carrying a plaque indicating it had been imported from the England

Track Maintenance and Inspection Equipment

Although much of the track maintenance requires hard manual labour and use of hand tools, SteamRanger has received as a donation, has purchased and/or has modified a range of track machines to assist wherever possible in order to cover the relatively long track length of over 80kms on a regular basis.

The following photos illustrate the range of on track or road/rail equipment used.

Road and Road/Rail Vehicles

Track Inspection Vehicles

Track Maintenance Machines

Gemco Track Machine
works at Victor

Gemco Track Machine with
verge trimmerattachment

Spot Tamper
tidies up MtBarker Depot yard

Typical Track Activities

Sleeper Replacement

Individual sleepers are removed manually and a resleepering machine digs out the ballast and inserts the new sleeper, the track is spiked to the correct gauge either manually with sledge hammers or with a pneumatic hammer.The track is jacked to the correct height and ballast (40mm crushed rock) is forced beneath the sleeper with electric hammers.

More major activities require assistance from a contractor.

Our photo shows track stalwarts Troy Barker and Terry Garbett hard at work packing track at the 75km mark.

Switch Reconditioning

Particular attention needs to be paid to the condition of sleepers and switch mechanisms at each station yard along the line.

Photo: Replacing switch timbers in Goolwa yard

An ongoing task is removal of tree branches which can damage rolling stock and pose a fire hazard in the warmer months.

Photo: Trevor Williams and his chain saw at work

Vegetation Clearance

Emergency Response

Unexpected flooding and line obstruction after regular inspections demand an on-call response so that scheduled services can be quickly restored

A full on-track inspection is necessary before eacxh movement from Mt Barker and weekly along the south coast.

Photo: Troy and Anthony with their Mazda road/railer

Track Inspection

Major Track Rehabilitation

Major trackwork beyond the internal capabilities of SteamRanger is outsourced to contractors
who can use specialised equipment.conducted by Track

In 2003 contractors carried out major track rehabilitation in the Victor Harbor to Goolwa section,
involving replacement of some 2000 sleepers and virtual rebuilding of Goolwa Station Yard
as part of the Goolwa Wharf Environs redevelopment (Photo below)

Contractors were also used to relay track at Mt Barker Depot following unexpected subsidence.

Becoming Involved - a volunteer's perspective

So you think you might like to join the track team? To give you an idea of what might be involved, one of the original members, Robert Haebich, wrote an interesting article in the May 2005 issue of our magazine "Catchpoint" describing the activities of the Mt Barker based Gang.

Here's a condensed summary of what he wrote

Mount Barker Track Gang
Every Monday morning at about 8.30am a team of track workers depart from Mt. Barker Depot to undertake track maintenance duties at various locations along the track. The Mt Barker based team of volunteers concentrate their activities between Mt. Barker Junction and Strathalbyn whilst occasionally undertaking maintenance tasks between Strathalbyn and Goolwa Depot when the need arises.

The Gang complements the heavier track maintenance functions performed by track maintenance employee, Terry Garbett and his group of volunteers who are generally out anywhere on the line between Tuesday and Friday

Activities
During winter months the main activity of the Mt Barker Gang has been the cutting back of tree growth for train clearance, improving the sighting at level crossings, cleaning line-side drains and culverts and removing litter and debris from the track to reduce the vulnerability to bush-fire damage. The foliage from these activities is stacked at convenient locations and burnt when conditions allow while the heavy timber is cut into sections for transport to Mt Barker depot for steam locomotive light-up wood. In early days all this work was done by hand, but over the last two years, in deference to the age of the volunteers, specialised mechanical plant has been acquired to make the work a lot easier.

During summer most of the time is spent on the control of noxious weeds and plants; i.e. blackberry, gorse, fennel, cape tulip, caltrop etc. This is done by selective hand application of weed killer when weather conditions permit. All noxious weeds and plants have now been almost entirely eliminated and while the railway will never be totally free of them at least they are now much easier to control. The current major project is the removal of olive trees along the railway, which predominate near Strathalbyn.

Equipment
All track maintenance vehicles have to undergo a rigorous annual accreditation process to enable them to operate on the railway and whilst routine servicing is performed by the gang, more specialised maintenance functions are performed by qualified tradespersons from within the Mt. Barker Depot workshop

Pre-train operation inspections
Depending on the running of the Highlander, Southern Encounter or special trains the appropriate section of line has to be checked more closely for irregularities together with correct functioning of the automatic level crossing warning devices. These duties are shared between the Mt. Barker Track Gang and SteamRanger’s S&T Manager, who has responsibility for the maintenance of the level crossing warning devices.

Further South
Further south, there is an unmet need for another dedicated group to provide a regular maintenance function between Strathalbyn and Goolwa Depot, performing similar tasks to the Mt. Barker Track Gang. The section from Strathalbyn to Goolwa Depot is not as arduous in terms of foliage and weed control as between Mt. Barker Junction and Strathalbyn and would suit a team of three or four volunteers who could provide one day a week/ fortnight to maintain this section of line.

Valued volunteers
Initial members of the Mt Barker gang were Doug Mackenzie and Robert Haebich who commenced the controlled burning of foliage between Cameron Rd and Dutton Rd., Mt. Barker around 2002. Subsequent recruits have included Murray Billett, Geoff Smith , Ron Reid, Bob Grant, Peter Keynes and Alan Milne as well as some of our more recently recruited younger volunteers who unfortunately can only participate in their school holidays.

Would you like to help?
Robert Haebich concluded his "Catchpoint" article by commenting that the railway certainly looks different from when the current Track Gang commenced about three years ago, however environmental control is an endless task and if you would like to join the team, or help on other sections of the line, Robert would welcome a call on 8449 8148.