Sugar tramways

[ozbob]

A cane train has derailed and rolled in Duingal near the Bruce Highway and Mclennan Drive. One patient was transported...

Posted by 7NEWS Wide Bay on Wednesday, 16 November 2022

[ozbob]

Wilmar launches new loco

https://www.wilmarsugar-anz.com/media-centre/latest-news/wilmar-launches-new-loco

The newest locomotive in the Australian sugar industry is about to start its maiden season.

Wilmar Sugar's new 26 tonne locomotive, Brisbane, is the first new model introduced to the company's fleet since 1991.

Significantly, it's the first new cane rail loco designed and built from the ground up by a milling company, for cane haulage, in more than 140 years.

Wilmar Sugar Senior Project Engineer Calvin Smith said Brisbane had been designed to meet all of the company's requirements for a mid-sized loco.

"This has been a really important project for the company and for the team," Mr Smith said.

"We started the conceptual development by looking at what we wanted in a mid-sized loco, in terms of operational performance, fatigue life, cabin design and driver comfort.

"Then we engineered it from the ground up to meet all of our business needs across all of our milling regions."

It boasts several new features, including an improved gearbox design, a soft-mounted engine to reduce chassis vibration, a fit-for-purpose automotive-grade control system and new remote shunting unit for single driver operation.

The new loco also uses about 25 per cent less fuel than the model it will replace, and is part of a broader Wilmar strategy to reduce carbon emissions across the business.

Wilmar is also considering a trial of renewable fuel later this year.

Asset Manager for Mobile and Services, Carl Schmidt, said the Wilmar 26 tonne loco project had taken almost three years to complete – from concept to delivery – and cost about $2 million.

"It has involved a lot of very dedicated and skilled people from different parts of the Wilmar business, as well as external contractors, and we're extremely proud of the result," Mr Schmidt said.

He said Brisbane would be based at Wilmar's Victoria Mill in the Herbert region, starting operations this season.

Two more of the new model locos are currently under construction, with two more planned for 2024.

Railway historian John Browning said the new Wilmar locomotive was a significant achievement.

"After more than 140 years, it is the first main line cane haulage locomotive designed and produced by a milling company in Queensland," he said.

"Cane locomotives must be robust and purpose-built to operate 24/7 under demanding conditions.

"Wilmar's understanding of these requirements means that in-house manufacture is preferable to going to a locomotive builder, most likely overseas, with no familiarity with Queensland conditions or experience in producing this type of loco."

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[Ari 🚋]

It's nice to see that these industrial railways are not only still kicking, but considered important enough for the sugar companies to keep investing in them. A hell of a lot better for the environment and the area than switching to trucks!

[ozbob]

SUGAR SUGAR



Radically Rethinking Railways in Australia.

A series of episodes about wrong thinking in Australian railways, and what can be done.

Off to the rich red soils of Isis in Central Queensland, where the 1067mm gauge is at its fastest, and the most southerly 610mm gauge sugar railway is found.

Rail commentators often discount these large and heavy rail systems because they think the gauge is only used by toy railways.

But the management of sugar shows a lot of what the government systems could have done, and not thrown their wheat traffic away.

Now that Bonza is flying to direct to Bundaberg and Mackay...you should too. See some real railways.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Man killed in cane train collision at Brewers Rd, Sarina $

Police cannot at this stage rule out if a third party might be involved after a man was crushed to death under a cane train in North Queensland.

Emergency crews were called to Brewers Rd, Sarina, just after 5pm on Thursday night to reports of a pedestrian collision.

Senior Sergeant Trevor Robson spoke to media at the tragic scene and confirmed the man was unable to be identified. ...

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https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1838632347228606790