Real World Train Pictures

[KevinWS]

Nope. Stripped and stolen.

Here anything metal gets legs. My water meter has been stolen twice, and when you drive around manhole covers are often missing. They are now replacing them with concrete ones.

In terms of locos all the stored ones are nearly gone. The National Rail Museum had around 50 steam locos of special historical significance stored near Johannesburg - the lot were stripped by criminals in the midst of running gun battles with the security - and were gone in under a month. The Museum took the site back, but could not afford the beefed up security, so they cut the rest for scrap so as to get some funds to try and protect other sites.

The steam locos that are running, that I have posted, need to be keep guarded in secure areas, otherwise pieces just go, including axle boxes and bearings, as well as controls from the cabs. Even the rails and cantinaries get stolen - railway lines in use have an armed guard in built up areas every 400 to 500 metres.

[ET44C4]

Mercy, that's terrible!

[PNWR1854]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyMNMu-FVJI[/youtube]

[ET44C4]

[KevinWS]

A shot of a platinum consist in the north of the country.

The loco is one of the modern Transnet Freight Rail locos - a Class 43 (a GE type C30ACi diesel-electric locomotive, designed by GE Transportation Systems).

The first 10 were built in the USA, the balance in South Africa.

The size of the standard gauge here is clearly visible - Cape Gauge which is 3 foot, 6 inches. Which I guess in the USA would be classified as Narrow Gauge? Narrow gauge here is 2 foot...........

[ET44C4]

DSC_3851.JPG

NS 29G blasting through Chesapeake, VA early this morning heading west.

[cnwfan]

Been meaning to post this for a month now, but shot this on my way into work one morning. Taken at our local motel parking lot, a TCOFBT (tank car on flat bed trailer) movement. I've got to hand it to the company that is repurposing old tank cars.

20180613_052551_resized.jpg

[ET44C4]

Very interesting catch...

[KevinWS]

DSC_3851 - very creative and a great shot!

I have tried this sort of thing in the past and have really failed dismally!

Were you using a wide angle lens?

[ET44C4]

DSC_3851 - very creative and a great shot!

I have tried this sort of thing in the past and have really failed dismally!

Were you using a wide angle lens?

Thank you Keven! To answer your question, I had a 18-55mm lens for that shot. It was a 73.1 second exposure.

[KevinWS]

Thank you for the info!

[KevinWS]

Here is another platinum consist - this time powered by electrics.

This one is returning with empties and has 5 locos (18E Series 1 units) at the front. 18E's are the most numerous South African electric mainline locos.

The unit at the front was built in 1981 and then rebuilt and upgraded in 2006.

The rebuilds program included...
* Numerous upgrades and computerisation of the electrical systems
* Battery upgrades
* Air and dynamic brake upgrades
* Bogie upgrades
* A new drivers cab, including digital displays and the installation of an air conditioner
* Windows which offer better protection against rocks thrown or dropped on locos. In some locos, these windows are now having bulletproof glass overlays added.

[ET44C4]

Very nice picture, Kevin. What type of freight does that line normally handle?

[KevinWS]

Thank you ET44C4!

The railways here are in decline, both in terms of freight and passenger traffic.

This particular line is one of the main northbound lines, and the bulk of the traffic will be platinum, followed by coal (though more coal is now hauled by road then by train).

There is then a couple of daily passenger runs - one each way. And some infrequent container and freight traffic.

Container trains here are single stacked and carry only 20' or 40' containers, but they are not the normal choice of forwarders due to the high theft rate.

What happens is that the criminals find out when the trains are running, and then in an isolated area will "switch" the signals to red. They then rip out the back of the containers and throw the goods by the side of the track. After a short while, they then reset the signals, so the driver may be unaware of what has happened if the theft is far enough back.

[ET44C4]

Very interesting information... Thank you for sharing Kevin.