More photos from Western Australia...

[ASR_Q301]

Went down for a final day of railfanning before college starts up again next week. It will be a while before I go back down to this part of the woods. (At least November :(). So i thought I would make the most of it...

First catch of the day was The Indian Pacific which has just pulled in from its cross country trip from Sydney. RARE to have 2 locos, both
online on this train as the terrain is flat as a tack!
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/NR51%2B27%20-%20high%20res.jpg

Finally got a shot of NR27 in the specially painted "Indian Pacific" scheme. To railfans here, seeing these units are like American railfans seeing a UP Heritage unit
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/NR27%20-%20high%20res.jpg


QR/ARG's S3305 on a loaded bauxite train down at Baldivis. Chased this train about 10 miles to the Port of Kwinana.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/S3305%20-%20Baldivis.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/3305%20-%20Baldivis.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/S3305%20-%20Baldivis%20Loop.jpg

Some random Australian scenery the train passes through.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/soaking%20up%20the%20sun%20in%20a%20field.jpg

S2102 was seen sitting in the hole at Baldivis for a cross with ARG's 2306.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/S2102%20waiting%20for%20DB2306.jpg

Here comes 2306 on an empty Caustic Soda train.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/2306%20Caustic%20Soda%20-%20Baldivis%20-%20High%20Res.jpg

S2102 gets the all clear. Mmmmm, coal! :D
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/S2102%20Baldivis%20-%20High%20Res.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/S2102%20-%20Baldivis%20-%20Port%20-%20highres.jpg

2102 seen going through some typical Australian scenery (minus the camels!!) I couldnt resist some Osuma jokes today! :7
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/Coal%20Train%2C%20Desert%20Train%20in%20light%20ra in.jpg
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/aussie%20scenery.jpg

Got some more photos of construction of the new high speed Perth-Mandurah rail link.

ZB2125 and ZB2129 lead an empty ballast train through Wellard as it heads backup to the ballast pit to load up.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/dixon%20road%20-%20high%20res.jpg

Loading at the ballast pit.
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/Parmelia%20-%20high%20res.jpg

Roster shot
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/Roster%20Shot%20-%20ZB2125%20high%20res.jpg

One random one. What I do in peak hour traffic on the highway! :D The railway runs right down the middle of the highway/freeway and it really promotes to people stuck in peak hour traffic "CATCH THE TRAIN!"
http://www.myfilehut.com/userfiles/10599/Set36%20%2B%2027.jpg

Hope you all enjoy these photographs. Could be it for a while! :(

>Mike Forster<
Perth, Western Australia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/mforster2/Clipboard01.jpg

[jb17kx]

Very nice pics. I remember being in the Hunter recently and seeing 82 class after 82 class... You've got some variety...

[nev]

You mentioned about having the 2 locos on the Indian Pacific. I don't know what they normally have on that but I do know that they have two on the Ghan. One is dead as in spare in case the lead one breaks down. It is a long way and a long wait to get another loco out to pick it up so they have the spare. Maybe they have started to do the same for the Indian Pacific as there are some long distances with nothing in across the Nullabor Plain, in case of a break down.
Also I know it is flat over that side of the island but over here on the east side it is not so flat untill you get west of the range so it might be needed there.

[ASR_Q301]

Nev, I dont know if you are on Railpage Australia or not, but blokes on there suggested that 27 died and 51 was put on at Kalgoorlie. But both locomotives powered up and sounded terrific when running around to shunt the motor-rail at the back of the train.

I know what you mean about the break downs! I did the IP back in Australian National days with CLP's. We had CLP9 on the noisey end and it died on the boarder of the SA/WA boarder. It was fun. We walked from the lounge car in Western Australia to our cabin in first class in South Australia! :P We got pushed by brand new "NR Class" (1996) on a MP freight. One of the NR's had died leaving only one in operation. It pushed our dead Indian Pacific while hauling a 1 kilometer long freight into the siding at Deakan. Most impressive!

Single units on the IP are the norm from Perth to Adelaide, but 2 locomotives take over from Adelaide to Sydney for the climb over the hills on the east.

>Mike Forster<
Perth, Western Australia

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v111/mforster2/Clipboard01.jpg

[jay611]

Nice show Mike!

Jason Underwood
Newport News, Virginia
CSX Peninsula Sub MP.16
jay611@cox.net

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/jay611/BP.gif
My photo's http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=1195