Well, they are finally here…..Lets not say that KiwiRail is a backwards looking organization, we’ve now joined the likes of The Warehouse and Kmart by importing cheap goods from China. And if the current rumours are to be believed (and lets face it, the railfan community have built themselves up into such a lather over the impending arrival of the DL’s who knows what crap they’re talking) we may soon see 60 of the beasts wandering around.
Okay, so lets take a step back for a few seconds. What does that mean for the railways as we know them now? First off, KR have just announced the rebuild of 6 DFT’s with better engines. And the report finished by saying that roughly they are a better fit for branchline traffic than the DC’s. Reading between the lines: The DC’s are stuffed. Secondly, pretty soon everything we see will have a KR locomotive on the front…if not a new one, at least a recently overhauled one.
The fact that we are facing a major upheaval was bought home by Drew when he wrote in an email “I have shifted my foaming focus to the old and crusty as their days are numbered with the Chinese about to breach our borders.” And just to prove it he sent a photo of South Island interloper 7117 strolling through the Naki. Word on the street is that it is hanging around Welly waiting for a slot to be “ARTA-ised” (if that’s a word).
These “Old Chooks” as Drew calls them wont be around for much longer….and while everyone will be risking life and limb to catch a glimpse of the new DL’s (which is just stupid, as you wont be able to move without tripping over one in a few months time), I’ll be following Drews lead and scouting out the “Old Chooks” before they are gone forever.
6 comments:
I just need some good roof shots of the DLs and for that I will spend some time on a bridge on the Hamilton side of the big tunnel to get some good ones - 'and I need them here and I need them now'... I just need someone to tell me when they are on the move from Tauranga so that I can be ready... anyone with the knowledge when (date / time) they will move from Tauranga to Hamilton ? if you can help, please let me know and I'll send you my mobile number... cheers... steve w.
'tatch' mahal
Yep, did my foaming watching the boat come in. Deck load of coal wagons for Oz and a 38 metre cateraman. (pic on nz120.org)
Have been informed the transfer to Hamilton will be by 2 Kiwrail livery loco's, cleaned especially for the trip, and in daylight. My guess is Monday or Tuesday.
Here is Drews take on the subject:
http://steelribbons.weebly.com/blog.html
I totally agree with you. If you want shots of DFT's and DC's its time to get out and get them.
DC locos are a railfans constant. No matter what changes on the rail network, theres always DC's.
Now its looking like they're going to start disappearing as well.
Better get my shots of the Oamaru bankers and the DC hauled Edendale milk powder trains while I can.
I was talking to a KR maintainance engineer and he thinks the DFTs are more likely to be withdrawn before the DCs are. His reasons were the DCs are light enough for all the branch lines but also has sufficient power. The frames and bogies of the DFTs sound like they are fairly worn out.
This is probably how train watchers felt in the 60's as diesels were kicking steam butt. Remember how the Da's, Di's, De's, and Db's all dissappeared! Who's ganna save a Dc or Dft?
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