Post on 08-Jun-2020
transcript
March 2014
Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation
Society Branchline The Members Newsletter of the
Castlemaine and Maldon Railway
Preservation Society
2014 Steamrail Open Day
On the March long weekend our friends at Steamrail held put on a wonderful display for their biennial open day at Newport Workshops. Seven
locos were in steam and all running at various times singly and double headed on the demonstration freight train, locos were regularly turned on
the turntable, special lineups were set up for photographers.
Perhaps a highlight was seeing the A2 in steam minus cab and motion being pushed up and down the yard.
Our own K 160 was not left out as it was second engine to K 153, albeit not in steam, on some of the freight runs.
Carriage sets were set up to recreate typical Steamrail weekend, regular train and party train consists.
The VGR set up a tent in what should have been an ideal location next to Steamrail’s catering and souvenir sales and near the turntable. However
the weather was less than ideal being very hot and gusty wind so our display suffered badly. We even tied the tent to a car on Sunday night to
make sure it did not blow away. However we had a lot of interest and did make a good amount from souvenir sales. A number of VGR members
looked in and special thanks are due to Joe Kellet for untiring help over two days and also to Will Maylor and Russell Chapman for looking after
the stand on the Monday.
It was a great chance to see just what a tremendous facility is at Newport Workshops and would really recommend a visit in 2016 when we will
make sure we set up inside the workshop buildings!
Photos courtesy of Alf Batchelder
Page 2 March 2014
President’s Column
Our joint venture partner Steamrail had its
open day at Newport on the recent long
weekend. I attended on Monday the 10th of
March 2014 and was very pleased to see not
only a tent advertising our cause but similar
stalls for other preservation groups. The
cooperation amongst the various groups in
Victoria is clearly developing and is the way
to go for us all to prosper and survive. The
day itself was a spectacular advertisement for
the preservation movement in general. There
were 8 locomotives in steam including A2
986 (not yet completed) for which I have
particular affection as I travelled behind it as a
5 year old with my late father on one of its
last trips in 1963. Unfortunately our
locomotive, K160, had blown an internal
steam pipe in the days leading up to the event
so it was on static display. It was good to
have a chat to various members of other
groups including the Steamrail people. I was
particularly interested in the virtual computer
display of V 499 traveling the Healesville
branch. Whilst the weather was somewhat
oppressive on the Monday I came away
feeling the event was a great success.
Members may also be aware that the
Daylesford Spa Railway has recently reopened
its line back to Bullarto. This was the section
of line severely damaged in the bushfire
around the Musk area a couple of years ago.
A huge amount of effort has gone into
rebuilding the line and it is a great credit to
their members and volunteers that the track
has been restored. I attended with our
Secretary, Andrew Naylor, and Civil Branch
Manager ,John Shaw (who was also involved
in the reconstruction work) for their opening
ceremony on Saturday the 15th of March
period of over a month where we had very
little income at all did not help. Things are
starting to pick up and we are assisted by
members who are promptly getting in their
renewals and also accommodating us with the
$20 levy as requested.
The other piece of news is that the excavator
has now gone to McCulloch’s in Bendigo to
start fitting the HiRail equipment which will
indicate to members that we are on track to
raise the necessary funds for us to do so. I
thank all members who have made donations
to this cause and if there are any members
who have not done so I would be grateful if
they would consider the importance of
getting the excavator out on external
contract work to increase our income as
planned. This is a crucial part of the
reorganisation of our business in the wake of
the collapse of the hiring income that was
coming from El Zorro.
I plan to be up in Maldon for the week leading
to the Easter long weekend. This is always a
very busy time for us when passenger
numbers will be high. We will be on show to
the general public and I am confident that we
will present very well given that J549 is fully
operable ( with K 190 ) and we have a fleet of
carriages that both externally, and internally,
put us in a very good light. I hope to catch up
with members/volunteers over this time and,
as I have said before, our “door is always
open” in relation to positive suggestions and
comments as to how we can further improve
our tourism product.
Michael Vines
President
2014. For me it was a long overdue chance to
travel on the line and I found the day
particularly enjoyable. Like the Steamrail
event it was good to catch up with some of
our preservation friends at Daylesford and on
behalf of the VGR I want to congratulate
them on their persistence and endeavor in
restoring the line.
As for our railway I am glad that we are back
in full running mode because it has been
particularly difficult over the summer period,
particularly during February when we ran
virtually no trains at all. As I have indicated to
members previously our cash reserves are
somewhat depleted at the moment so a
by Michael Vines
The Victorian Goldfields Railway is supported by some fine businesses. If your company would
like to benefit from a sponsorship, please contact our Sponsorship Manager, Rob Fletcher via
our marketing office on (03) 5470 6658
Page 3 March 2014
Our Proud Sponsors
Early on June 1, 1991, I was in a sleeping berth
aboard Amtrak’s Southwest Chief as it stopped
in Dodge City, Kansas. Unfortunately, the
nearby historic part of the town, dating from
the wild days of the Old West, was on the
other side of the train, so I was unable to get
a glimpse of the Boot Hill Museum and the
once-notorious Front Street. Nevertheless,
this brief stop was a reminder that, once,
lawlessness had prevailed here in the "wildest,
wickedest and woolliest" of the cowtowns –
and that, at times, the railroads were caught
up in it.
My final destination for the day was Chama,
New Mexico, where I would ride the
Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad to Osier
and back. Like the Durango and Silverton
Narrow Gauge Railroad, this is a fragment of
the network built by the Denver and Rio
Grande Railway, which had originally intended
to operate a 36-inch narrow gauge railway
from Denver to El Paso, Texas, some 875
miles to the south. Instead, the company
spread throughout Colorado, New Mexico
and Utah. In doing so, the Rio Grande became
embroiled in right-of-way disputes with the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The
situation became so bad that, apart from
buying politicians and going to court, both
sides hired gunslingers to protect their
interests. In June 1879, the Santa Fe hired Bat
Masterson, Dirty Dave Rudabaugh,
Mysterious Dave Mather and more than fifty
other “heavies” to defend its roundhouse in
Pueblo. According to one report, the Rio
Grande paid the mercenaries to leave, though
the presence of a cannon might have
encouraged their departure.
Fortunately, the 1880 Treaty of Boston
resolved the conflict, and the mainline over
the Cumbres Pass between Antonito and
Durango was completed in August 1881,
adding another rail link to the rich mining
Page 4 March 2014
areas of south-western Colorado. Since the
Pass has a 1:25 grade in parts, the journey
between Denver and the boom town of
Silverton took 31 hours. In 1951, the
unprofitable passenger service from Denver
to Durango was dropped but the quest for
natural gas and oil in the San Juan Basin kept
freight traffic alive until 1968 when Rio
Grande closed the line. Keen to emulate the
success of tourist operations on the Durango-
Silverton branchline, the Colorado and New
Mexico governments purchased the 64 miles
of track between Antonito and Chama to
establish the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic
Railroad. The United States Congress then
created a commission to oversee the railroad,
which was claimed to be the world’s longest
tourist railway.
My journey to Osier on June 2, 1991, was
unquestionably one of the best days I have
ever had behind steam. I arrived at the Chama
station straight after breakfast to photograph
the action in the railyards. It was a calm,
sunny morning, with the smell and sight of
steam in these conditions bringing more than
a touch of excitement. Although parts of the
roundhouse, warehouses and parking lots had
been changed, the Chama yard nevertheless
retained the ambience of half a century ago.
The presence of former Rio Grande rolling
stock and locomotives, along with a large
steam-powered rotary snowplow, adds to the
authenticity. As I moved around this veritable
time capsule, I was careful not to exert
myself, for Chama’s altitude is 7500 feet and
we were therefore advised not to do anything
too strenuous.
Finally, at 10.30, the former D&RGW 488
was ready to depart. Built by Baldwin in 1925,
the 2-8-2 Mikado was one of four K-36
locomotives then running with the Cumbres
and Toltec. Weighing 286,600 pounds with its
tender, 488 has an outside-frame chassis with
the drive wheels placed between the main
frames, and the running gear to the outside.
The K-36 engines are among the most
powerful narrow-gauge locomotives ever
used in the United States. Since my visit, the
C&TSRR has acquired the former standard
gauge K-37 497 from cowboy movie star
Gene Autry, while K-27 463, built by Baldwin
in 1903, returned to service in 2013.
Although the train had some very
comfortable coaches, I went down to the very
end where there was an open wagon, with
deluxe stand-up seats, for an uninterrupted
view of the magnificent mountains of
northern New Mexico. As there was not a
breath of wind, the tall fir trees on their
slopes stood absolutely motionless, while the
first touches of spring foliage could be seen
on the thin white trunks of the aspens. At the
foot of these spectacular slopes, the train
moved through grassy meadows with fast-
flowing streams and, in parts, sprinklings of
yellow flowers. It was only a short distance
from Chama that 488 encountered the 1:25
grade which would be present for most of the
journey to Cumbres Pass. A little later, traces
of snow could be seen, adding to the postcard
quality of the landscape. Then, at about 9000
feet, snow started to fall, gentle flakes my
jacket at first, before chilly winds brought a
more vigorous flurry that forced everyone
inside. Undaunted, passengers opened their
windows on the leeward side, to watch as the
engine continued its advance through a very
wintry scene.
Though the spectacle of 488 working in these
conditions was exciting, I felt that the day was
starting to shape as a disaster – the prospect
of continual snow storms was not quite my
idea of railfanning at its best. Amazingly, once
the train passed the old boarded-up station
and its watertower at Cumbres (elevation
10015 feet), we were on the other side of the
mountains, and, almost instantly, the weather
cleared, so it was back to the open wagon.
Standing there in the sunshine, amid the
serenity of the stunning meadows, I didn’t
want the journey to end.
We pulled into Osier around one o’clock, just
as engine 489, leading the consist from
Antonito, appeared from the opposite
direction. Because of the time and distance
involved, some visitors choose to travel in
only one direction on the train, while others
prefer a return trip to and from Osier.
Consequently, while the two trains exchanged
locomotives, hungry hordes descended on the
restaurant, reviving memories of days when
railway refreshment rooms used to produce
hundreds of meals in the minutes before
departure. Fortunately, I was served quickly,
so I was soon back outside to enjoy the
remaining time in Osier, which, apart from (Continued on page 5)
Cumbres and Toltec by Alf Batchelder
the dining facility, is nothing more than a dot
on the map, with an altitude of 9631 feet. The
half hour that followed was unforgettable. I
walked through a meadow, under a warm and
vivid blue sky where big white clouds floated
above the fir-clad mountains. For much of the
time, I was quite alone, and it was wonderful
to be well away from the line, with this
wonderful scenery all to myself.
The ride back to Chama behind 489 was just
as spectacular as the morning’s journey had
been. Again, I stood on the open wagon,
which was now right behind the locomotive
and its occasional bursts of soot, but, like
most of my fellow travellers, I wanted to
make the most of this priceless outdoor
experience. An unexpected moment of drama
came when a carriage left the rails as the train
was rounding a hairpin bend on a large
meadow. With the use of a “frog” that is
carried for such eventualities, the crew had
the carriage back on the tracks in about
twenty minutes, and we arrived at Chama half
an hour late at five o’clock.
Since that day in 1991, the C&TSRR has had
its problems. In 1999, the lease of its
operator, the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic
Corporation, was terminated “due to a failure
to properly maintain the railroad and its
equipment” and make rental payments. Three
years later, the Federal Railroad
Administration ordered a shutdown until
specific track bed issues were resolved. At
the same time, extremely dry conditions and
fears that the locomotives would cause fires
led the US Forest Service halt operations for
most of the summer. After a fire at the
Lobato Trestle in 2010, full services on the
line did not resume until the following
summer. Since 1970, the Cumbres and Toltec
Scenic Railroad Commission has entrusted
operations on the Cumbres and Toltec to
seven different bodies, with the most recent
change of hands taking effect in 2013. In
sharing stewardship of the line, the Friends of
the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad aim
“to preserve and interpret the railroad [for]
the tens of thousands of visitors who come to
be transported back in time through the
beauty of the San Juan Mountains.” They have
succeeded admirably.
References:
Personal Diary
Sumner, David: High Rails Over Cumbres,
Sanborn Souvenir Company, Commerce City,
Colorado.
Right - the icy watertower at Osier at an
altitude of 9631 feet
(Continued from page 4)
Page 5 March 2014
We’re Getting Closer to the Half-Way
Mark
We’ve had another successful month with the Takaeuchi Appeal now
reaching over $24,000 through either donations or pledges. We’re
continuing to work hard to gain the rest of the funds needed to
complete the Takeuchi. The excavator will shortly be sent off to our
suppliers to have detailed design work done for the hi-rail gear.
If you can assist with this appeal, please send a cheque or money order
made out to “Victorian Goldfields Railway” and make sure you
mark on the envelope that your donation is for the Takaeuchi Appeal.
All donations over $2 are tax deductible. If each member were to
contribute $150 each, the Takaeuchi could be gliding along the rails in
no time!
www.vgr.com.au/takeuchi_appeal.php
Page 6 March 2014
Good Friday Wine & Cheese Train Friday April 18th 2014 - 7:00pm
Includes Complimentary Cheese Platter.
Drinks at Bar Price on Board. No BYO.
Musical Entertainment.
First Class - $48pp / Economy - $38 pp
Step aboard - relax, enjoy the entertainment, the company and the special atmosphere of the steam train
as we take you on an autumn evening journey from Maldon to Castlemaine and back to Maldon. Enjoy
the unique ambience of a great evening steam train journey.
Bring a friend - bring a group - for a great start to the Easter break.
Bookings are essential on (03) 5470 6658
Please make a note of the following events
that will be held during 2014. A number of
volunteers have expressed to me the need to
hold other events outside the railway
happenings so as everyone could socialise
more, so hence the following,
Saturday 31st May - A Presentation
evening will be held at the Castlemaine
Station telling us about the RAAF. A light
supper will be served after. (more details
later)
Saturday 26th July - Christmas in July
Train (more details later).
Saturday in July or August – Date to be
advised – AGM and Members Train to
Castlemaine and Return
Saturday 16th August - Trivia Night to be
held at Castlemaine Station $10 per head.
Supper provided. Make your own table up
or mix with others on the night
Sunday 14th September - Pink Train.
Money raised will be donated the Cancer
Council. High Tea will be served at
Maldon Station. $30 per head
Sunday 19th October - Anzac Centenary
Re Enactment of the Embarkation Train
(more details to follow)
Saturday November 15th - Volunteers
Christmas Breakup. BYO Picnic tea.
Sweets provided
December – 10th Anniversary of the re-
opening of the line through to
Castlemaine. Details of celebrations to be
advised.
There will be also be Steam Train 4 kids
weekends and Mucklefest so please don't
hesitate to contact us if you could spare some
time to help out with any of these occasions
Christine Gibb
Volunteer Co ordinator
0428 810 633
volunteers@vgr.com.au
Members Events for 2014
Thinking About
Volunteering? The railway is a great place to volunteer and
there are opportunities for people of all
backgrounds to be part of the team that
keeps the railway running.
People often ask how to get involved and the
answer is simple - contact our Volunteer Co-
ordinator, Christine Gibb who will put you in
touch with the relevant department manager.
Christine can talk to you about the various
roles on the railways and the areas where we
have a particular need for enthusiastic
volunteers. Some of these roles include:
Booking Officers
Conductors
First Class Stewards
Retail Staff
Boiler Makers / Fitters
Carpenters / Painters
Guards / Signalmen
Drivers / Firemen
Bus / Heavy Vehicle Drivers
Mower / Slasher Operators
General Admin Staff
The only requirements are a friendly
disposition and a willingness to obtain a
Working With Children check for those
volunteers dealing with members of the
public.
To contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator,
please either call Christine Gibb on
0428 810 633
or via volunteers@vgr.com.au Please note that you might not hear from us
for a number of weeks (it’s a very busy time
leading up to Easter)
Stolen Station Sign - Can You Help? On Monday 17th March a volunteer at the Bellarine Railway noticed that one of their station signs had been removed from a location known as
Marcus Station which once boasted a Mallee type shed and separate goods platform. The sign was cut from its supporting posts by a saw of some
description and it is not clear why anyone would do such a thing. The sign is made of solid timber and edging painted black with white painted
raised wood lettering “MARCUS”. Our friends at the Bellarine Railway are asking for anyone with information on the sign’s whereabouts so it can
be restored to its former location. Anyone with information should notify the Victoria Police at Geelong.
Page 7 March 2014
Alf Batchelder captured J515 leaving the locomotive compound at Maldon during 2013. J515 is
available if required, however J549 and K190 are the two locomotives that are being rostered on for duty over the coming months, so it is unlikely that J515 will see service in the short term.
Page 8 March 2014
Victorian Goldfields Railway General Office and Marketing
P.O. Box 51, CASTLEMAINE VIC 3450
Phone: (03) 5470 6658
Facsimile: (03) 5470 6272
Email: marketing@vgr.com.au for bookings,
Train Times & Fares information or
cmr@vgr.com.au for all other enquiries
Castlemaine Railway Station
Kennedy Street, Castlemaine
Phone: (03) 5470 6658
Facsimile: (03) 5470 6272
Maldon Railway Station
Hornsby Street, Maldon
Telephone: (03) 5475 1451
www.vgr.com.au
newsletter@vgr.com.au
Upcoming Anniversary At 4:30pm on Saturday December 12th 1914,
DD 893 was steamed out of the works and
into the Thompson’s Foundry sidings. This
was a major celebration with Victorian
Railway Commissioners and Government
Officials coming by special train from
Melbourne, Foundry Management and
Employees along with many interested
townsfolk were all there to witness the
Steaming Out.
We’ll be conducting a celebration of the
anniversary and details will be provided over
the coming months
Carriage Department
Update Our regular eight members of the carriage
department have been busy as always. Some
of the recent progress has included:
80 BW (Kiosk Carriage) - The exterior
paintwork and detailing is now complete.
Many rusted interior roof panels have been
removed and await replacement when
suitable sheet steel can be obtained. Some
timber panels need repair/replacement and
much work lies ahead before it returns to
traffic.
25 ABU - The roof is now sealed and one
accommodation compartment is almost
completed. We understand few examples of
an ABU carriage still remain and when the
exterior is repaired and painted this will
become another “showpiece” for the railway.
ZLP VAN - One side is completed with the
exception of a window frame to be installed
and sections of rot to be repaired. Work
continues on scraping, sanding and filling and
undercoating. The ZLP is always available to
be pressed into service when needed.
Sign On at Maldon Please note that all crew sign-on is now in the
safe-working room at Maldon Station.
As of the 1st of March, ALL crews (Guards,
Signalman, Driver, Fireman, Trainees,
Conductors, First Class, O.I.C etc.) will sign
on in the Safe-working room at Maldon
Station before the commencement of duty.
A sign-on book is provided as is a whiteboard
(with markers too!) for you to place your
name and contact details upon. This will
ensure that all staff can obtain contact details
on the operating day if required.
At the same time all operational, safety and
policy / board directive notices have been
moved to the safe-working room for all to
see. We will be going back to the system we
had in the past of once you’ve read the latest
notice you will sign the rear (or attached
sheet) to say that you’ve read and
acknowledged it.
Safe-working Training
Course - April / May
2014 This year's course will be run over two
practical days, with all theory completed
outside of class this year. We will begin at
9.00am on Saturday 26th April at Maldon
Station for induction / familiarisation and
shunting practise.
Our second session will be on Sunday 11th
May 2014, we're we'll depart Maldon at
9.00am on a special train to simulate two
crosses with the normal service.
This training and subsequent assessment is
required for future guards, track patrollers,
loco crews and signalmen.
Please contact Will Maylor on
training@vgr.com.au or 0438 037 346 if
you're interested in attending.
Celebrating 10 Years of Running to Castlemaine December 2014 marks ten years since the Victorian Goldfields Railway commenced running to
Castlemaine. The lead-up to the opening was marked by many thousands of hours of volunteer
work in terms of working to raise the funds required to re-build the line, including a large
number of bridges.
Plans for celebrations are being worked on at the moment and details will be communicated via
Branchline. One of the key events will be an explanation of the process of re-building the line;
the challenges, the triumphs, the milestones and some of the red-tape that we had to work
through. Delivering these recollections will be former President, Tony Llewelyn. A date is yet to
be finalised for this address, however it is likely to form part of the Annual General Meeting.