Concrete Sleeper Wagons
NDXF 2820 converted from an AE Goodwin BDX
underframe at Goulburn in 1996. Norm Bray
In the mid 1980’s, the SRA began to install concrete
sleepers. The first location where concrete sleepers were installed was Exeter
Bank, on the Main Southern Line. A sleeper manufacturing plant was built by
Rocla at Braemar, on the southern end of the Picton-Mittagong
Loop Line.
The wagons have rails fitted along both sides
to allow a self-propelled Rail Mounted Gantry (RMG) to pick up and deliver the
sleepers to a Track Laying Machine (TLM). Depending on sleeper size, they are
either loaded with 3 or 4 layers of sleepers. Timber ‘Gluts’ are laid along the
tops of the sleeper to prevent damage enroute. The
sleepers are not strapped or restrained once loaded.
A video of TLM, RMG and concrete sleeper wagons
that keep the TLM supplied with sleepers can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sYc5W0jw2k
Converted
by: Goulburn and Bathurst Railway Workshops.
Length: 15m Tare: 22t Capacity:
51t Gross: 73t Equiv Length: 2.3
Bogies: any
roller bearing combination of XCF, XCL and XCG
Coding: I’m
still deciphering running numbers for each class but some groups are: 2481-2485,
2616-2689, 2711-2730, 2801-2830.
Converted
from |
Code |
Date
Converted |
Running
Numbers |
As
@ 2003 |
UME/NFUF |
NDGF |
1990 |
2473-2477 |
|
MLE
- NFLF |
NDGF |
1990 |
2470-2472 |
|
BDX
- NOBX |
NDXF |
1992 |
2801-2830 |
|
TLX/HLX |
NDHF |
1994 |
|
|
GLX |
NDHF |
1993 |
|
|
Colour
Scheme:
-
As
introduced, corner posts and side rails painted Traffic yellow
-
Metal
work repainted RAC Teal blue from 1992 onwards
-
Repainted
RIC orange from 2003 onwards with hazard ‘tiger stripes’ along the side rails.
Modifications:
-
Initially
designed with timber beams to support the sleepers between H beam corner posts.
-
The
timber was later replaced with steel I beams with a 25mm timber strip on top to
stop damage to the sleepers.
-
Around
2007, some wagons were converted to container wagons and recoded NDYF. The
sleepers are carried on 2 x 20ft steel frames which have maritime twistlock corner pockets fitted.
Period of
Service: 1990 to Current day.
Operation:
Wagons are loaded at the sleeper plant,
assembled into trains with the required number of sleepers and moved into a
worksite to be unloaded by a mechanized TLM. From 2007 onwards, some resleepering jobs required the sleepers to be unloaded and
‘handlaid’ by rail-mounted excavators.
Typical
Consist: RTX (TLM) – NDYF (RMG) - NDGF/NDXF/NDHF – NLJF ‘Jewelry’
Van
Modelling:
-
IDR Models produced a HO kit of the NDHF
version and is currently unavailable.
-
Southern
Rail Models produced a HO RTR NDHF and is currently available.
-
It
would be possible to model the NDGF using AR Kits
MLE underframe as a base.
-
The
NDXF could be modelled using the NQJX wagon available from Casula
Hobbies as a base.
Ex MLE underframe, NDGF 2446J at Chullora MTS in 2007. Josh Beveridge
Ex BDX underframe, NDXF 2818 at Chullora MTS in 2006. Josh
Beveridge
Ex TLX underframe, NDHF 2432Y at Chullora in 2007. Josh
Beveridge
Ex GLX underframe, NDHF 2487 at Chullora Welders in 2005. Josh
Beveridge
Ex BDX underframe, NDYF 2682 at Leightonfield in 2007, showing the ISO container-base
sleeper carrying frames. Josh
Beveridge
Ex BDX u/f as NDYF 2445 RMG wagon for the TLM at
Clyde Perway Sidings in 2007. Josh
Beveridge