Modelling Steel Wagons

By Dave Willoughby and Steven Pracy.

Introduction

With the introduction of a national rail carrier in the mid 1990’s steel traffic patterns dramatically changed forever, individual states no longer contracted to BHP for steel shipments. Transhipping in Albury disappeared and through running became the normal practice. Wagons that were once captured by state borders or on broad gauge were converted to standard gauge and could be seen virtually anywhere in Australia.

National Rail established SteelLink, a business unit within its organisation to contract the delivery of steel products from Perth to Brisbane. This traffic falls into two specific categories finished product and unfinished product. Both are hauled within the same train, as is on occasion scrap, raw material, bulk material and intermodal.

Typical traffic includes Billet, Coil, Jumbo Coil, Coiled Rod, Merchant Steel, Pipes and Tubes, Plate, Rail, Slab and Structural Steel. Each of these types requires specific wagons to suit individual loadings. To date National Rail/PacificNational have constructed two new classes of wagon to handle steel products, the remainder of product is conveyed in wagons suitably modified. Some of these wagons date back as far as 1950/51.

Due to ever changing requirements of SteelLink customers, 2004 has seen a more wholesale refurbishment of Jumbo Coil and Coil wagons to provide 2 x TEU container wagons for Coated Coil containerised traffic.

Prototypical Operations

Looking at 3PW4 on the 18/05/2004,

NR53 / NR55

69 wagons

Length: 1136.8m,

Weight: 2668.59 tonnes,

This train is a daily dedicated service between Perth Freight Terminal and Port Kembla, the composition varies according to load and wagon requirements. It conveyed Coated Coil in 20’ containers, scrap in open top 20’ containers, Copper sheet in tarped bogie open wagons, Structural shapes and Jumbo Coil and 46 empty wagons.

The composition of the train changed through the journey, of the 69 wagons arriving in Port Kembla, only 4 commenced in Perth, 4 were added at the Adelaide Freight Terminal, 1 at Spencer Junction and the remainder at the Melbourne Freight Terminal. At Port Kembla 23 wagons are attached to 7BW3, 10 conveying Coated Coil from Western Port in Victoria to Brisbane Freight Terminal and 13 empties to Morandoo for loading out of Newcastle.

The composition of most SteelLink services conveys similar wagons; therefore most trains will have wagons for coil, jumbo coil, merchant steel and plate. Most wagons will return empty so the diversity of wagon profiles and products conveyed make for extremely visual modelling.

Attempting to model PW4 in its entirety would require some 13 metres of HO scale train and unless Arid Australia comes to Sydney probably quite impossible to model on most layouts. Selective compression of steel trains is therefore necessary and by careful consideration of wagon types a faithful example can be modelled.

Not all modelling of steel trains needs to be confined to NR /PN trains, around Port Kembla you could model BHP/BlueScope trip trains, in Sydney you could model Silverton transfers between BHP/BlueScope Villawood and Enfield or Chullora, these trains need be no more than 8 to 12 wagons.

The latest PacificNational newsletter announced an increase in demand for Coil Coated products from BlueScope Steel; this product is conveyed in 20’ containers, SteelLink need to convert many of their Jumbo Coil wagons RCAF/RCQF into container wagons.

This conversion then led to a shortage in J/Coil wagons the result was to modify RCSF wagons to accept 1 x coil and 2 x J/Coil this wagon is now coded RCKF.

In addition to RCAF/RCQF wagons loosing their coil cradles and gaining maritime twistlocks, all of the RCMY and RCMX have also been converted to RKLY/RKLF container wagons. Some RQMY container wagons are also being fitted with J/Coil cradles at each end centered above the bogie along with a 20’ twistlock in the centre of the wagon.

Modelling Wagons

Billet Wagons

RKHF are ex NODY

RKHX are ex SAR/ANR SGX/AOCX

Coil Wagons

RCMY are ex NODY

RCRX are ex NFMX

RCSX are ex V/Line VCSX

RCSF are ex V/Line VCSX

RKLX are ex V/Line VOBX

RKLY are ex NODY

Coiled Rod Wagons

RCOF are ex NODY

RCWF are ex NOGF underframes

Jumbo Coiled Wagons

RCIX are ex NQIX

RCPF are ex NOEF underframes and restricted to Port Kembla / Morandoo traffic only

RCQF are ex NODY 3 cradles per wagon

RCAF are ex NODY 2 cradles per wagon

Merchant Steel Wagons

RKCX are ex VOBX

RKCY are ex NODY

RKDF are ex NODY These 3 classes are as built complete with doors.

Pipe and Tube Wagons

RKTF are ex CR / ANR AOOX

Plate Wagons

RKPF are ex NFPX

RKQX are ex NLJX ex NQRX ex RQRX

RKQF are ex NLJX ex NQRX ex RQRX

RKXF are ex NFBX

Slab Wagons

RKBX are ex VODX

RKEX are ex V/Line VODX and VOBX

RKJY are ex NODY

RKUX are ex V/Line VOBX

ROBX are ex V/Line VOBX

Structural Wagons

RKFX are ex SAR / ANR AKFX/AOFX/SGMX

RKOX are ex CR/ANR AOOX

RKWF are ex CR/ANR AOOX

Other wagons currently in use but not listed above include,

RKKF Permanently coupled 3 pack Billet wagon progressively replacing RKHF.

RKYY “Out of Gauge” plate tilt wagon. Originally designed by AN there are first and second series of this wagon Baker’s SRM do a complete decal sheet for this wagon but I’m not sure which series. Baker’s SRM are also producing a set of NRC wagon code boards some of which are suitable for steel wagons.

Some of the more eclectic wagons used in containerised coated coil are as follows;

NQIX ex NLHX underframe

NQHX ex NQIX series 22101-22175

RQIY ex NQIY series 10151-10200

RKMX ex AOBX/VOBX originally converted as 2 x TEU for concentrate traffic

RKNX same as above

RCKF ex VCSX two outer slots removed and two jumbo cradles added one at each end.

ROSX ex VOBX sides replaced and double doors removed. Used to convey scrap steel.

Model Steel Wagons

All models belong to David Willoughby

RCKF 43-C in NRC Grey

RCJY 2338-H in AN Green

NCNX 31928 in PTC Blue

NCNX 31676 in SRA Red

VCSX 60-W in V/Line Red

RCSF 85-Y

RCMY

RCAF

RCQF

Given the continuous development of these wagons in general and the severe treatment they receive in service very few older wagons remain intact or as originally refurbished. Some may only ever receive one paintout during their life, as modelling potential this can provide a serious challenge for anyone with a disposition towards freshly painted models.

Two views of the Wollongong/Brisbane & return ‘Steelink’ Services in the North Coast Line NSW.