ATLP 2022 Car Visits Cassino

The Around The Layout Podcast boxcar, ATLP 2022, had previously arrived in Adelaide having worked over the Border District (see the Border District blog here for details: ATLP 2022 visits the Border District). However, when news that the South Australian Railways (SAR) had trialled ALTP 2022 with an actual load, both the Victorian Railways (VR) and New South Wales Government Railways (NSWGR) determined they wanted to do the same.

Arrangements were made for ALTP 2022 to be transited from Adelaide back to Melbourne on SAR TN 47/VR Train Number (TN) 46 Fast Goods. This working passed through the Border District again, but it appears our usual scribe was caught napping and missed the movement (they are still crying gunzel tears as a result). It is believed SAR ALCo 935 hauled the train from Adelaide to Tatiara Downs, and VR GM S301 hauled the train into Melbourne. In Melbourne, the VR also tested ALTP 2022 on hauling paper products, working empty to and loaded from Maryvale in the Gippsland. 

With VR evaluations complete, ALTP 2022 was bogie exchanged from broad gauge (5' 3") to standard gauge (4' 8 1/2") at Dynon, and sent northwards to Albury (NSW) on VR TN 4521 Through Goods, departing Dynon at 21:40 and arriving in Albury at 03:40. With a loco change from VR to NSW power completed in Albury, the train continued north at 05:10 as NSWGR TN 452 Through Goods. ATLP 2022 was shunted off a little further north at Ettamogah for loading with newsprint paper roll products. The following day's working of NSWGR TN 452 Through Goods collected the loaded ATLP 2022 and conveyed it forward to Sydney.

In Sydney the car was shunted to be part of the load to Brisbane on the paper train.  It must have snuck through the northern suburbs of Sydney in the early morning and the first the train spotting community knew of it was when the wagon was spotted at Grafton Staging in road 6 on No. 15 The Down Paper Train lead by 4416 and 44240.  

ATLP 2022 is spotted in Grafton Staging on #15

The train has started north and is just exiting Grafton Yard

The train travels north heading towards Cassino

The ALTP 2022 wagon was first wagon on the paper train.  Loco 44240 was having troubles with its engine.  It had to be restarted a few times.  However, when it finally got across the Richmond River Bridge, the injectors must have cleaned themselves out, and it sprung back into life and started running well again.  There was a slight issue with the wagon going under Bakers Road overbridge.  It just cleared it.  Luckily the paint crew can repaint the bridge where the scrap marks were left from the wagon.  

Gaining height on the layout spiral #15 has passed Bakers Road overbridge and is about to entry Rappville Loop 

The train easily traversed the Richmond River Bridge.

The Richmond River bridge is just south of Cassino

Successful running resumed until it got to Simpson’s Parade overbridge at Cassino.  It again just scraped by under the road bridge.  

Simpson's Parade overbridge above, as the train takes the Yard

The no. 15 paper train stabled overnight in the Cassino Yard in road 1.  The Cassino Yard was full with the stock train in number 2 road in the yard, and the recently restored NSWGR DEB set still sitting around waiting for a qualified driver to take it to South Brisbane Interstate Station on a combined NSW and QR ARHS tour.  In the platform road we had 48128 with #20 Up freight with four sugar wagons, empty container, an empty open wagon, empty petrol tank, an open wagon with two containers onboard and a louvre wagon.

The ATLP 2022 car stands out in the yard due to its dimensions.

No. 15 left Cassino Yard and made its way to Park Road Siding as the Paper Train with the ATLP 2022 onboard.  

When the train reached the Nammoona ballast Siding, it turned a few heads.

ATLP 2022 is seen here passing the Nammoona Ballast Siding

Passing the Nammoona Ballast Siding

The next landmark passed from the dead center of town - at Fairy Hill.

The train is passing Ron and Marg's Bed and Breakfast

Quite a turn out has occurred at Fairy Lane

Now Passing Fairy Hill Farm

At the far end of the Fairy Hill Farm, the train is about to entry the southern end of Kyogle township and Kyogle loop.

Having passed the Kyogle Loop, the train travels over ANZAC Drive where an accident has occurred

Here the train is traversing Cougal Spiral, one of two on NSW railways trackage.  the maintenance crew do not seem interested

Past Cougal Spiral is Border Loop.  Just past here, the train from New South Wales into Queensland, and the clocks get rolled back 1 hour due to no daylight savings in Queensland

More activity occurring at Running Creek as the paper train continues north

At another crossing of Running Creek a Yowie is seen in the bush

The Risk is also having some track work undertaken as the train passes

The paper train is just exiting the transshipment as the train enters track 1 at Park Road Siding

Upon reaching Park Road, ALTP 2022 and the other wagons were all unloaded.  The rest of the wagons returned south, as number #16 empty paper train.  The ALTP 2022 car was left on the number one siding.  

It was later collected by #56 shunt, which becomes #58 shunt at Park Road Sidings.  

Number 56 shunt is coupling up to the ATLP 2022 car in Park Road Siding track 1.

It was then transferred by the local shunt train and taken to Acacia Ridge Yard.  It was here that it was bogie exchanged to narrow gauge – 12mm - 3’ 6” for a trial by the Queensland Railways. 

The ATLP Car has entered track 1 at Acacia Ridge Yard,  It will set back onto the dual gauge track and be bogie exchanges to 3'6" bogies for travel on Queensland Railways (QR) trackage

The QR train is made up and read to depart to South Brisbane Station

The ATLP 2022 car was sent back to South Brisbane Station and shunted into a siding. 

The car has made its way to Clapham Yard, heading to South Brisbane

The train is arrive at South Brisbane.  It will be shunted to a siding and loaded

ATLP 2022 was filled with railmotor parts at South Brisbane and sent back to Clapham before it was shunted into Rocklea Siding.  

The car arrived at Rocklea Siding and was unloaded

From Rocklea Siding , when empty the car was picked up and delivered back via Clapham Yard, to end up to Acacia Ridge Yard.  It was here that the car was bogie exchanged back to the standard gauge. 

The now empty ATLP 2022 car has arrived back at Acacia Ridge Yard and is about to be bogie exchanged back to standard gauge bogies

ATLP 2022 was sent to a siding to be loaded with crates of Queensland mangoes and is now waiting for the fruit train which is coming from South Brisbane Interstate station on the standard gauge

After being bogie exchanged, train number 6, the up Fruit Express is picking up the ATLP 2022 car as last wagon for transfer to Fleming Markets in Sydney

The car is now leaving Acacia Ridge Yard from the dual gauge heading south

ATLP 2022 was picked up as last wagon on the fruit train at Acacia Ridge Yard and taken south to Grafton Yard, before being sent onward to Flemington Markets so the great unwashed south of the Queensland border can get a mango or two in their local fruit shops. 

The car has made it to Grafton Yard, before it continues further south to Sydney's Flemington Markets