The grim reality of inaction

[ozbob]

The grim reality of inaction ..  heritage locomotives doing their best to keep the freight moving ..  this is what privatisation leads to.  Heritage locomotives struggle valiantly to do the job.  (They were ultimately successful).  The damage being done by the trucks on the road infrastructure is incalculable ...

This video is sadly a losing battle by six 1950s era diesel electric locomotives on a loaded grain train climbing the grade from Ballarat to Warrenheip.  The locos are owned by or in the custody of several heritage rail groups and are on hire to a small rail freight operator called 'El Zorro'.

For those unfamiliar with the intrastate rail freight scene in Victoria, it is all but dead.  'El Zorro' has a very small number of locos and wagons it owns but most rolling stock and locos are hired from others.  The potentially major rail freight operator 'Pacific National' has virtually handed all rail freight over to road.  It has a large supply of locos and freight wagons but most have gone interstate or are stored.  Some have been scrapped.  

These days most grain is on road being carried in a never ending convoy of modern B Double trucks that are ripping up roads very effectively with the help of recent rains and reducing the quality of life for many country people and car users.  The obeying of speed limits is very optional based on my own recent experiences

This remarkable video is actually tragic.  I know little about the workings of diesel electric locomotives but I can't help wondering what damage was caused to traction motors etc. by this incident.  I guess it is all repairable if damaged but at whose cost and will it be done?  

State politicians of both parties have much to answer for in the crazy fanaticism over the last couple of decades for privatisation without some safeguards.  Anon  

21st September 2010

"A regional railway system that all Victorians - especially the trucking industry - can be truly proud of"  anon

[ozbob]

And the cost of road trauma --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?action=articles;sa=view;article=3

[Jonno]

What a waste as the infrastructure (i.e dual line) looks excellent.  I do wonder if there was a technical problem as surely someone did their maths!!!!

[Golliwog]

Possibly, but it could have just been the wheels couldn't get a grip properly (train doing a burnout? ) which would explain why at the end it said the train would be back with sand.