Australia's Big Boy

[qrfan3]

No comparison at all to the Big Boy but our answer to mainline runners over here back in the steam days. Coal eaters they were and back breakers for the firemen, but talk to the men that drove them you couldn't get a better steam loco to drive. This is our only and last BeyerGarrat ( 4-8-2 + 2-8-4 ) that I mentioned in the Strasburg thread that will now be a static display. A sad day in my life when I heard the news....

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[styckx]

Impressive beast. Those things are always beautiful looking for obvious reasons. Completely unique thinking outside the box construction. She'll be fine in preservation and deserves to be there if it's really the last one you guys have over there.

Pardon my ignorance though as I'm not well versed in Australia rail but what gauge track is that? Might be the odd angle of the photo but it doesn't look standard.

[qrfan3]

if it's really the last one you guys have over there.

It's the only one in QLD ( my state ) and not sure exactly but I think there is possibly one or two in the southern states. The southern ones varied some in the model design. As far as in running condition of those if any....I could not say.

Pardon my ignorance though as I'm not well versed in Australia rail but what gauge track is that? Might be the odd angle of the photo but it doesn't look standard.

Not ignorance at all Bill....just the same as I would not know too much about your US gauges and such....you have a good eye for things though, yes....narrow gauge to you guys I guess... 3'-6"
Three are 7 states in Aus and here are the gauges:

QLD:- Queensland....... 3'-6"
NSW:- New South Wales....... 4'-8 1/2"
VIC:- Victoria....... 5'-3"
SA:- South Australia....... 4'-8 1/2" and.... 3'-6"
WA:- Western Australia....... 3'-6"
NT:- Northern Territory....... 4'-8 1/2"
TAS:- Tasmania...... 3'-6"

We have in Queensland a Tilt Train ( Passenger Service ) 1,780 klm's that runs from Cairns to Brisbane ( State Capital ) and I have had been for a run in her....topped 168 kph and smooth as silk in places. The tilt application is from a German design and very efficient...even on a narrow gauge...

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[styckx]

It's the only one in QLD ( my state ) and not sure exactly but I think there is possibly one or two in the southern states. The southern ones varied some in the model design. As far as in running condition of those if any....I could not say.

Not ignorance at all Bill....just the same as I would not know too much about your US gauges and such....you have a good eye for things though, yes....narrow gauge to you guys I guess... 3'-6"
Three are 7 states in Aus and here are the gauges:

QLD:- Queensland....... 3'-6"
NSW:- New South Wales....... 4'-8 1/2"
VIC:- Victoria....... 5'-3"
SA:- South Australia....... 4'-8 1/2" and.... 3'-6"
WA:- Western Australia....... 3'-6"
NT:- Northern Territory....... 4'-8 1/2"
TAS:- Tasmania...... 3'-6"

We have in Queensland a Tilt Train ( Passenger Service ) 1,780 klm's that runs from Cairns to Brisbane ( State Capital ) and I have had been for a run in her....topped 168 kph and smooth as silk in places. The tilt application is from a German design and very efficient...even on a narrow gauge...

tilt.jpg

That is a AWESOME locomotive design. WOW.. Looks like some sort of twisted reptile.

[arizonachris]

Now, that is a handsome train design. Meaning the "Tilt Train" but, that Big boy, what a beautiful locomotive.

[ex-railwayman]

Yeah, the Beyer Garratt looks magnificent, I wonder if Sly could do one ??

The Tilt Train looks superb also, unsure about the wing mirrors though, what's going to overtake him at that speed ??

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.