Garratts vs 1960's Diesel Electric Locos on 1 in 40 Bank

[tpvalley]

over here in uk the diesels had higher engine power but often lower drawbar power, but diesels are made to run flat out all the time, it more efficient for a diesel loco, but steam trains have pull in reserve and theres no motores to flash over!

[erniepond1]

@tpvalley

In AUSTRALIA,the size ofd diesels are dictated by axle weight limitations. In NSW, out biggest DE is the 92 class, weighing some 140 t. It is the biggest loco with an output of some 3370 kW or 4500 HP.

Because of its large size, it is restricted to coal haulage in the Hunter Valley but I did see some being used at Pot Kembla

[tpvalley]

@erniepond1

were allowed 20 tons per axle and the most powerful is about 3000hp I think.

I like the older diesels like the crossley powered X class is it, think thats Oz could be NZ excuse my ignorance.

[PROFLOP1]

@tpvalley

Do you mean these noisy monsters? You can FEEL them going through !

They never seem to wear out these or other heavy DE of the 1970s. These were rated at 3300 HP.

Three C class Hauling Coal Train up Sutherland Bank, Illawarra Line, Sydney. In HD

watch?v=wJ3Sjn2YBEg&feature=ch­annel_video_title

Thanks for comments.

ernie

Sorry change in identity.

erniepond1

[Zappyguy111]

8:20 Saw the length of carriage being pulled by that one engine and the magical 4 lettered 's' word popped into my head.

[ernietube1]

@SteffanLlwyd

The AD60s could run on most lines in NSW. They really did a stirling service until 48 class DE took over.

I did see some AD60 operations on the Enfield to Clyde section of good track in late 1950s.

[SteffanLlwyd]

Fascinating comparisons. Thanks. I read some quite snotty comments about about Oz Garratts. But to me they look fantastic and well up to the job!

[ernietube1]

In the end of their useful service, they were used on coal trains to Wangi Wangi poer station.

See

Garretts- Double AD 60 Class with Coal Trains near Newcastle. Quad steam at Zig Zag

youtube.com/watch?v=T6gEjZYFs0­M

I never saw the steam operation on the Zig Zag but saw the late afternoon 57 heavy goods from Lithgow passing through Auburn station

[SteffanLlwyd]

@ernietube1 Awesome. I wish we'd had large wheeled passenger garretts in the UK or maybe Kitson-Meyers.

[erniepond1]

@SteffanLlwyd

Thanks for watching .

What about

Coupling a Double Farlie (Earl of Merioneth) at Ffestinog

.youtube.com/watch?v=_k4Km8DeP­4o

Must be fascinating to watch.

[GMCobh]

I find Garretts to be fascinating locomotives; their outline looks quite different from Mallets or Meyer locos. That's a very interesting documentary about them.

Thanks for the technical info on them, also.

[ernietube1]

@GMCobh

My other video based on Belbin's movie may interest you-

Garretts- Double AD 60 Class with Coal Trains near Newcastle. Quad steam at Zig Zag

/watch?v=T6gEjZYFs0M

Thanks for comment

[ernietube1]

@chrismuir111

Thanks for comment.

The starch trains are now hauled by two or three class 81s. I don't know where the L class have gone to?

[hcrun]

What's with the constant movement of the camera, for God's sake?!!!

SO annoying.

[erniepond1]

@hcrun

With a light tripod and with a wind blowing, I did my best!

The purpose of the video was not to have a nice smooth video but was to illustrate what really happens in the world.

Please accept the limitations imposed by my crude video taking plus compression restrictions YouTube impose.

[chase42211]

That 22 on the flower train sound like it gone back to 6 notch, its not doing much work.

[PROFLOP1]

@chase42211

The contract to haul starch has been given to another company. The ancient locos shown on this video have gone elsewhere, to the scrapyard I hope.

In my latest profile, I have uploaded the updated operation-

Mandilla Starch Train at Sutherland Station Hauled by Three 81 Class DE 22 10 2009

watch?v=Rutqa4T9mn8

Hope you enjoy,

Ernie Lee

[gobombers07]

Great Video!

[ERNIEMAC2]

The starch train now hauled by three class 81's. Not nearly as interesting !

[3801Catcher]

I'd recruit double garretts any day compared to the old sloggy diesels. any day a garrett could out pull tripple 48's

[PROFLOP1]

What about triple 81s or triple 82s? Wheel slippage was always a big problem with any steam loco. DE seam to have this under control.

Would you really want to shovel coal for the 38 pulling THE FISH on the steep 1 in 33 grades up the Blue Mountains on a hot summer afternoon?

[PROFLOP1]

Thanks for the comment. Having control of a AD60 must have been an exciting experience. I still would not like to shovel coal for a C38 going up the Blue Mountains. Any experience with other steam locos ?

[Murraman]

The hardest part firing these was pulling the slides in the tender. As the coal was fed into the worm drive by gravity, when you run out you pulled what was called a slide it was a cover plate at the bottom of tender underneath coal about 60cm long about 45cm width. It controlled how much coal was on worm at one time. They used to jam being in the wet coal. Wasn't much fun getting the shovel out to keep the worm supplied with coal while trying to free the slide. But I still loved them.

[ernietube1]

Sorry about different identity. ernietube1 was getting a bit hard to manage.

Thanks for commenting. Hope you pressed the HQ button.

[PROFLOP1]

The only AD 60 I know being restored is at Canberra,

Australian Railway Historical Society

(ACT Division).

Hate to pay for the coal these monsters use during running.

[chefjohnwt]

does anyone know of any plans to get the garrett in Thirlmere restored again - now that would be an impressive train for excursions

[PROFLOP1]

Thanks for information. Coal trains on other video if you are interested.

My next door neighbor some thirty years ago was a driver on AD 60 used to haul coal through narrow Coal cliff tunnel. He hated them because he had to lie on floor of cabin through tunnel. Also, no escape if an accident.

Did you have an easy job with mechanical stoker ? I certainly would not envy a fireman on Fish going up to Katoomba in middle of summer.

[Murraman]

I was a fireman on them and worked out of broadmeadow. We used to do double header ex fassifern with 1200 tonnes, make your hair stand on end the sound through the cutting. I loved them best engine they had for heavy haulage. We went as far west as Murrurundi with them.

[Russellfan1]

ive got the video "days of steam" at home. it absolutly wonderful. one of my favorites railway films ever

[louiseme]

Nice video

[ernietube1]

This would have been a AD 60 class as in my video.

They were used everywhere on NSWGR network. Anywhere where brute strength was required.T

[lennyos]

I can understand the strive for crew comfort.

But in being a steam railroader myself, running a steamer backwards is a pain because you literally have to hang out the window to see where you're going around the tender (or bunker on a Garrett type)

[Chappy3801]

The 60 had dual control.

[lennyos]

really....kick ass.

[ernietube1]

I said this with tongue in check. The Garrett was a superb locomotive- just came too late to make a real mark for itself. It was bought as a loco for running on light rails. This is where the Broken Hill to Lithgow run was ideal for it.

As with the ancient diesel electrics- all had been taken out of service quite a few years ago. Can't we afford new DE locos to replace them. Manilldra gave the hauling contract to the cheapest bidder I guess. Local suburban train drivers hate these slow goods.

[EndorphinsRUS]

Nice video, thanks for posting.

As for which engine made a better go of it... It really is hard to say but I think the Double Garretts gave a very good account of themselves.

What a fantastic locomotive they were.

I remember chasing a Beyer Garrett of some type, on the Standard gauge between Albury and Wangaratta in the 80s when I was a teen.

Happy days.

[ernietube1]

My old long gone neighbor was a loco driver. He used to drive a coal train from near Coaldale somewhere to the coke ovens at Coal Cliff on the Illawarra line. This involved going through a long single track tunnel. This was a nightmare and he was forced to lie down to avoid inhaling smoke. NSWGR ended up issuing respirators to Garrett crews. Garretts also had a problem with leaky flexible exhaust steam lines. So, the Garretts were not a much liked loco compared to 36 or 38 classes.