I had a mate who used to work for the railways, he dragged me up there in his old mk3 Cortina to film them. I was a bit reluctant, which seems unbelievable now!
@@struck2soon Wow, a Mk 3 Cortina, that brings back memories from my days of chasing girls. I bet your mate wouldn't have had to ask twice if you'd know then that the EO's would soon be history.
Sad to see them go. Same sad story here around Sydney. Sure, the wires are still there through the Blue Mountains and the mighty Cowan Bank to the north, but these days only used by EMUs. Gone are the days of the mighty 46 class electrics hauling both passenger and freight trains. Even the transcontinental luxury train the Indian Pacific used to be 46-hauled out of Sydney, only to hand over to diesel on the other side of the mountains. And no, we didn't give them a thought at the time...
Still think there needn't have been such a rush to remove the catenary and power supply. Those electrics could still have handled the daily passenger train and general goods train, thus freeing the tunnel up a lot quicker for following trains instead of having to wait for fumes to clear.
Excellent! Love hearing the DC's helping power the train out of Otira!!! Must go to Otira and Arthurs Pass one day and listen to the Dixies in full flight!!!
Just like the Milwaukee Road did with their Mountain Division, spent a bomb electrifying it, and then the "authorities" decided to shut down electric operation, and went for diesels. They claimed the power equipment was too old and worn out. It was the track that was knackered, but no, they still went ahead. The whole thing's shut now, and used as a cycle trail.
3 * Eo's = 3000 HP, 3 * Dxc's = 10,000 HP for the assist through the tunnel. Train size more than doubled, and the speed increased. The cost of converting the Otira tunnel to 25 kVAC operation (more clearance) was too much, and the 1500 VDC just couldn't hack any more power. But it would have been nice to have the whole country using the 25 kVAC; but not for a long while yet, I bet.
Paul Langford on the downside: enforced waiting for the fumes to clear from tunnel, a loss of an interesting form of traction...and don't even ask the locals at Arthur's what they think of the noise caused by those fans!
I don't know why Im replying to a 6 year old comment. But 25KvAC isn't the only option. and bumping to 3KvDC would have been fine as it's used in lots of places already mostly ex USSR states. So it can be done at lower voltages. I think they wanted to standardize the locomotives, but the south island has always had there own system as the the like of the DX class are only on the North island. I don't see 25Kv an option for freight until they do it between Hamilton and south Auckland. Even then i don't think that's going to happen as they are focusing on Hybrid trains.
Hi there could you perhaps Private Message me, on Facebook? I am interested in the sound of the EOs at Otira and would like to get permission to use an excerpt of this audio in a radio documentary about a train trip from the west coast to Dunedin in 1949. Thank you, Julie Benjamin, Onehunga New Zealand
Love the sound of the "49" Dc's, still had their Da exhausts on them.
Videos of the EO's in action at Otira are rare, I really I enjoyed this, thanks for sharing.
I had a mate who used to work for the railways, he dragged me up there in his old mk3 Cortina to film them. I was a bit reluctant, which seems unbelievable now!
@@struck2soon Wow, a Mk 3 Cortina, that brings back memories from my days of chasing girls. I bet your mate wouldn't have had to ask twice if you'd know then that the EO's would soon be history.
They hauled us in the tranz alpine up the tunnel in ~April 1997. It can't have been long before they removed them all.
Lived in Otira for several years, opposite the Station, bought back many memories.
Susan Stewart Recently spoke to Bob and Lorraine Williams who were also Otira residents years ago, some great stories to be told.
Thanks for sharing this gem.
Sad to see them go. Same sad story here around Sydney. Sure, the wires are still there through the Blue Mountains and the mighty Cowan Bank to the north, but these days only used by EMUs. Gone are the days of the mighty 46 class electrics hauling both passenger and freight trains. Even the transcontinental luxury train the Indian Pacific used to be 46-hauled out of Sydney, only to hand over to diesel on the other side of the mountains. And no, we didn't give them a thought at the time...
Still think there needn't have been such a rush to remove the catenary and power supply. Those electrics could still have handled the daily passenger train and general goods train, thus freeing the tunnel up a lot quicker for following trains instead of having to wait for fumes to clear.
only 14 wagons, i hear next year the trains from westport might be pulling 40 or over!
great footage!
Excellent! Love hearing the DC's helping power the train out of Otira!!! Must go to Otira and Arthurs Pass one day and listen to the Dixies in full flight!!!
Just like the Milwaukee Road did with their Mountain Division, spent a bomb electrifying it, and then the "authorities" decided to shut down electric operation, and went for diesels. They claimed the power equipment was too old and worn out. It was the track that was knackered, but no, they still went ahead. The whole thing's shut now, and used as a cycle trail.
Good video. Bad that this line lost it's catenary and I hope the east-west route gets wired again!
Thanks, just wish I'd taken a bit more footage!
Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. Wish I had taken more footage, it seems like a long time ago now.
I had a ride in the cab of an EO going through the tunnel when I was a kid. I do not know how my Dad organized it.
It was a lot easier to get into loco cabs a few years ago. Health and Safety have put an end to all that though.
@@struck2soon I was 12, I think and I am now 62. So quite a long time ago!!!
@@silasstedman7801 I had a couple of cab rides in the 90’s, it was still ok then. Closed doors now though unfortunately.
Bloody Great video, thanks for sharing it.
Probably about 1993. As I said, should have taken more footage while they were still there!
you are right. They should have left it electrified.
3 * Eo's = 3000 HP, 3 * Dxc's = 10,000 HP for the assist through the tunnel. Train size more than doubled, and the speed increased. The cost of converting the Otira tunnel to 25 kVAC operation (more clearance) was too much, and the 1500 VDC just couldn't hack any more power. But it would have been nice to have the whole country using the 25 kVAC; but not for a long while yet, I bet.
Paul Langford on the downside: enforced waiting for the fumes to clear from tunnel, a loss of an interesting form of traction...and don't even ask the locals at Arthur's what they think of the noise caused by those fans!
I don't know why Im replying to a 6 year old comment.
But 25KvAC isn't the only option. and bumping to 3KvDC would have been fine as it's used in lots of places already mostly ex USSR states. So it can be done at lower voltages.
I think they wanted to standardize the locomotives, but the south island has always had there own system as the the like of the DX class are only on the North island.
I don't see 25Kv an option for freight until they do it between Hamilton and south Auckland. Even then i don't think that's going to happen as they are focusing on Hybrid trains.
DBR?
Yet those trains seemed quite long at the time!
I thought they were using some of them on the Wellington subbies?
Eo 45 is now preserved and all other eo's are scrapped
This is not true. Several E0's regularly pull passanger subbies in Wellington
EO45 is in good condition and still operational at ferrymead historical park
Great. How long ago is this?
Hi there could you perhaps Private Message me, on Facebook? I am interested in the sound of the EOs at Otira and would like to get permission to use an excerpt of this audio in a radio documentary about a train trip from the west coast to Dunedin in 1949. Thank you, Julie Benjamin, Onehunga New Zealand
Julie Benjamin I am not really into fb, but feel free to email me.
@@struck2soon I'd love to, but your email details aren't included in your UA-cam particulars. What's your address please? Mine is jben005@gmail.com