I understand that the wagons weren't fully loaded at this time due to weight restrictions on the Avon River bridge - which was the reason for using the RTL in the first place. 1 in 50 was the steepest grade on the line. The RTL had enough power to move more weight - rubber tyres on rail did help. But that was also a drawback. Tyre wear was apparently quite rapid.
The foot brake just works on the road wheels in the usual way. The RTL was also equipped with Westinghouse train air-brakes, same as any other locomotive. You can see the brake handle in use at 7:45
I noticed it started in V/line livery and was obviously then taken over by Freight Victoria. Great video of a now gone experiment - especially the cab footage.
It used the rubber tyres for traction. Had single wheels, spaced for 5' 3" gauge rails. Made it look a bit odd on the road as the rear wheels were closer to one another than the front., but dual wheels weren't much use on rails. Heavy tyre wear was one of the problems with this vehicle. I do have a set of specs for the RTL somewhere. I'll have a look for them. Have a feeling it actually came from Canada.
I remember seeing something like this back in 1998 here in Virginia, U.S.A on Norfolk Southern, but the truck was towing a half dozen roadrailers simialar to NS's Triple Crown trailers.
You only need to read the info to the right. :) The line had been closed due to the poor condition of a bridge (a convenient government excuse). But when a private company wished to operate on the line, hauling logs, they did some cheap temporary repairs to the bridge and the rest of the line and used this "RTL" as it was much lighter than a conventional locomotive. Later the bridge was repaired properly to allow conventional locos and longer trains to operate.
You'd definately look twice if you saw this on the rails. I saw one of those Western Stars on the road near Ouyen some years ago. I heard they were used because the rail lines in Northern Victoria radiate from Melbourne and it's a lot shorter to drive across from one line to the other rather than go back to Melb. then come back up again.
Kind of ironic, the Avon River bridge. It so happens that there's two Avon River rail bridges in Northam, Western Australia. One has both single and narrow gauge lines, the other is over a kilometre long (intermittent patches of land) with a single narrow gauge track. They bracket the town, but the east one is part of the "Highway One" of rail in WA- The Trans Australian line
@guitboxchicken The stand is only for the Westinghouse brakes. Both on the train and the locomotive - however, the driver said it was easier to just press the brake pedal when stopping the loco (truck) only. :)
Gosh! I always knew that Western Stars are speced to haul anything in mydrid applications! esp road-trains! Jesus, I never knew it can pull those rolling stock that fast? Must be using powerful Caterpillar 3406E with 600 to 700hp/2050/2250ftlb of torque with 18 speed Fuller transmission! Hope truck uses JakeBrake!! Great Post!! Like seeing trucks haul random freight like this! 5 Stars!!!!
One thing I couldn't work out was how it got the power down to the rails. Is it through the rubber tyres acting on the rails? Or a mechanically driven bogie? It's a very heavy duty Western Star, looks like the 4900 series. They're built in the U.S., that explains the exhaust stack on the right (for a quieter drive in a LHD truck). On the imported trucks for the Aussie highways the stack is on the left, away from the driver.
Only one was built, so you'd have seen the same one. I understand that one of the reasons for it was as you say, the radial pattern of Victoria's rail network. After short-haul use on one line, it could be driven by road to another line.
This is an old video. The Sale Bairnsdale line has N class locos hauling 4-5 car passenger trains at least 4 times daily all the way into Melbourne and the Avon River bridge has been ear marked for replacement in very near future so that the current 10 kms speed limit over it can be raised. The trestle part is close to 100 years old and made of timber which badly needs replacing
The trestle section is well over 100 years old. As are the wrought iron spans at the east end. Much of the timber has been replaced over the last 15 years. But passengers see the old debris deflectors at the east end which look very old. But they don't support the bridge. 8 months after your comment (which I hadn't noticed earlier) it's looking like the new bridge will be started this year.
Fascinating! I always imagined doing this when I was a child, pulling 20 or 30+ trailers behind a tractor-truck rig on the tracks - never thought I'd see it done though. Is this common practice in Australia? I'd imagine you could buy several tractor-trucks for the same amount as one locomotive. Thanks for posting!
I used to load logs on the train in wadonga for a wile I think I used to load around 60 tonne to a carriage with that calculation the payload is around 300 tonne is that correct and if so how does the truck go pulling it. I presume the railway would not have many steep inclines anyway
Not sure why you single out 3:10 when the same wagons pretty much appear throughout the video. At the time this was done, Freight Australia only had 2 wagons specifically for logs. So the gondolas (previously used for logs on this line, but with the doors still in place) were used temporarily without their doors until more wagons were converted for log loading. They do look similar to the steel wagons like this though.
@jdawgsworld Astually - works with anything .. so long as the main road driving wheels are the same gauge as the rail -(NZR used Suzuki 4wd trucks as inspector gangers trolley's in the 1990's as well as in 1974 a weedsprayer contractor modified a tractor by simply removing the rubber from his tractor's wheels - for difficult access areas along the rail corridor in Central otago (it ran foul on turnouts until rims cut_back & worked on "single" line only) plus NZ uses a variety of trucks nowadays
No, not common. In fact this one hasn't run in years. It's the only one of its type in Australia. There was another, but it was a standard prime mover modified, whereas this one was built specifically as a locomotive. I understand that one big problem was tyre wear making it unroadworthy - which meant that the flexibility of road transfers for which it was intended could not happen without frequent tyre changes.
USE WORK AT HIRE PLACE IN SYDNEY WHERE THE TRUCKS THERE AT HR HIRE AS ROAD RAIL TRANSPORT FOR RAILWAY USE ROUND SYDNEY WHERE NO ROADS TO TRACK IN 1990 IN AUSTRALIA
Myrtlebank Road, north of Sale. I probably should consider doing a new version of this video. When these were done, you could not load videos longer than 10 minutes, which is why it's in two parts. I think I did a better job of labelling locations on part 2 though.
this takes the term "road train" to a whole new level
I understand that the wagons weren't fully loaded at this time due to weight restrictions on the Avon River bridge - which was the reason for using the RTL in the first place. 1 in 50 was the steepest grade on the line. The RTL had enough power to move more weight - rubber tyres on rail did help. But that was also a drawback. Tyre wear was apparently quite rapid.
The foot brake just works on the road wheels in the usual way. The RTL was also equipped with Westinghouse train air-brakes, same as any other locomotive. You can see the brake handle in use at 7:45
I noticed it started in V/line livery and was obviously then taken over by Freight Victoria. Great video of a now gone experiment - especially the cab footage.
This is awesome! Sounds like it's running an Allison with an auxiliary, on top of big CAT power!
This was in 2000. Today the line also has several passenger trains per day. Not bad for a line they closed as uneconomical. :)
It used the rubber tyres for traction. Had single wheels, spaced for 5' 3" gauge rails. Made it look a bit odd on the road as the rear wheels were closer to one another than the front., but dual wheels weren't much use on rails. Heavy tyre wear was one of the problems with this vehicle. I do have a set of specs for the RTL somewhere. I'll have a look for them. Have a feeling it actually came from Canada.
I remember seeing something like this back in 1998 here in Virginia, U.S.A on Norfolk Southern, but the truck was towing a half dozen roadrailers simialar to NS's Triple Crown trailers.
You only need to read the info to the right. :)
The line had been closed due to the poor condition of a bridge (a convenient government excuse). But when a private company wished to operate on the line, hauling logs, they did some cheap temporary repairs to the bridge and the rest of the line and used this "RTL" as it was much lighter than a conventional locomotive. Later the bridge was repaired properly to allow conventional locos and longer trains to operate.
puts a whole new meaning to road train
You'd definately look twice if you saw this on the rails. I saw one of those Western Stars on the road near Ouyen some years ago.
I heard they were used because the rail lines in Northern Victoria radiate from Melbourne and it's a lot shorter to drive across from one line to the other rather than go back to Melb. then come back up again.
Kind of ironic, the Avon River bridge. It so happens that there's two Avon River rail bridges in Northam, Western Australia. One has both single and narrow gauge lines, the other is over a kilometre long (intermittent patches of land) with a single narrow gauge track. They bracket the town, but the east one is part of the "Highway One" of rail in WA- The Trans Australian line
There was actually a second Avon River rail bridge here too (well several miles away), but the other line closed in the 1950s.
@guitboxchicken The stand is only for the Westinghouse brakes. Both on the train and the locomotive - however, the driver said it was easier to just press the brake pedal when stopping the loco (truck) only. :)
This one was out of use for several years after I took the video. Last I heard it was hauling ballast trains around Adelaide.
Gosh! I always knew that Western Stars are speced to haul anything in mydrid applications! esp road-trains! Jesus, I never knew it can pull those rolling stock that fast? Must be using powerful Caterpillar 3406E with 600 to 700hp/2050/2250ftlb of torque with 18 speed Fuller transmission! Hope truck uses JakeBrake!! Great Post!! Like seeing trucks haul random freight like this! 5 Stars!!!!
Yes, I did see several surprised looks. I notice people doing U-turns when they saw it and drive to another crossing to see it again.
One thing I couldn't work out was how it got the power down to the rails. Is it through the rubber tyres acting on the rails? Or a mechanically driven bogie?
It's a very heavy duty Western Star, looks like the 4900 series. They're built in the U.S., that explains the exhaust stack on the right (for a quieter drive in a LHD truck). On the imported trucks for the Aussie highways the stack is on the left, away from the driver.
Awwwwesome :) So proud we Aussie's have diversity in our railways :)
Really cool, thanks.
Only one was built, so you'd have seen the same one. I understand that one of the reasons for it was as you say, the radial pattern of Victoria's rail network. After short-haul use on one line, it could be driven by road to another line.
Puts a new spin on the term road switcher!
Yes, vigilance control was fitted. Same requirements as any other loco once it was on rails.
That is what it's being used for now. But originally it was purchased for short-haul trains.
@trainmaster500 The idea for this came from Canada. This one was built in Canada too.
This is an old video. The Sale Bairnsdale line has N class locos hauling 4-5 car passenger trains at least 4 times daily all the way into Melbourne and the Avon River bridge has been ear marked for replacement in very near future so that the current 10 kms speed limit over it can be raised. The trestle part is close to 100 years old and made of timber which badly needs replacing
The trestle section is well over 100 years old. As are the wrought iron spans at the east end. Much of the timber has been replaced over the last 15 years. But passengers see the old debris deflectors at the east end which look very old. But they don't support the bridge.
8 months after your comment (which I hadn't noticed earlier) it's looking like the new bridge will be started this year.
the train rails are also made for trucks in the usa.. they are wider as the rail roads are part of the east west infrastructure, in case of emergency
Fascinating! I always imagined doing this when I was a child, pulling 20 or 30+ trailers behind a tractor-truck rig on the tracks - never thought I'd see it done though.
Is this common practice in Australia? I'd imagine you could buy several tractor-trucks for the same amount as one locomotive.
Thanks for posting!
excelant video,thank you!!
Nice.
looks cool if I drove a train id want one
I used to load logs on the train in wadonga for a wile I think I used to load around 60 tonne to a carriage with that calculation the payload is around 300 tonne is that correct and if so how does the truck go pulling it. I presume the railway would not have many steep inclines anyway
wow truck and train.
Not sure why you single out 3:10 when the same wagons pretty much appear throughout the video. At the time this was done, Freight Australia only had 2 wagons specifically for logs. So the gondolas (previously used for logs on this line, but with the doors still in place) were used temporarily without their doors until more wagons were converted for log loading. They do look similar to the steel wagons like this though.
Click the "more info" to the right of the video. It's all explained there with more on the link at the bottom of the description. Enjoy.
wow...
Puts a new slant to the term "Road Train".
Top vid, thanks for posting. Any tech details?
the king CATERPILLAR ENGINE 100%
awesome
Is their trains operating on that stretch of line nowadays?
Passenger trains have been running on the line since 2004 and are now the only trains on this section.
@jdawgsworld Astually - works with anything .. so long as the main road driving wheels are the same gauge as the rail -(NZR used Suzuki 4wd trucks as inspector gangers trolley's in the 1990's as well as in 1974 a weedsprayer contractor modified a tractor by simply removing the rubber from his tractor's wheels - for difficult access areas along the rail corridor in Central otago (it ran foul on turnouts until rims cut_back & worked on "single" line only) plus NZ uses a variety of trucks nowadays
No, not common. In fact this one hasn't run in years. It's the only one of its type in Australia. There was another, but it was a standard prime mover modified, whereas this one was built specifically as a locomotive. I understand that one big problem was tyre wear making it unroadworthy - which meant that the flexibility of road transfers for which it was intended could not happen without frequent tyre changes.
do they still use them as trains now
I hear a "beep", followed by a button being pressed at 4:13. RTL's are fitted with a vigilance control system, then?
How do the brakes work? Do the cars all brake with the foot brake, or what?
el mejor Video que visto
Gracias Rodolfo
Well, you don't see this everyday. How many horses does this thing have anyway?
USE WORK AT HIRE PLACE IN SYDNEY WHERE THE TRUCKS THERE AT HR HIRE AS ROAD RAIL TRANSPORT FOR RAILWAY USE ROUND SYDNEY WHERE NO ROADS TO TRACK IN 1990 IN AUSTRALIA
and they ran this line WHY? is it going to be reactivated in the future?
Actually it would have been made in Canada. My apologies to the Canadians !
they use those here in america just for mow trains
Sheeta Maria!!!
Ain't nothing like a Caterpillar,..
wow that star pulls like a bastard
Man I bet that thing takes a long time to pick up speed
Depends on the load. With rubber tyres, it tended to get moving fairly quick. Mind you, the rubber wore down rather fast.
wow
So what's the first crossing at 0:22?
Myrtlebank Road, north of Sale.
I probably should consider doing a new version of this video. When these were done, you could not load videos longer than 10 minutes, which is why it's in two parts. I think I did a better job of labelling locations on part 2 though.
The best past was the kangaroos near the end!!
Cherkoee know how to build lands :-)
WESTERN START TRUCK AS A TRAIN :-) USA
A road TRAIN indeed.HA!HA!
Crazy daisy!
Is their trains operating on that stretch of line nowadays?