StateRail Railcorp Track vehicles

Posted by Unknown on 5:00 PM in Railcorp, StateRail, Track, vehicles | No comments

Work on the layout has stalled for a few weeks, but in the meantime I have been trying to finish a few of the track vehicles in my collection.
I have 8 track vehicles so far  but intend to build several more when time/info permits.

Of course, the flagships of Sydneys Railways are the electric mutiple units, but during trackwork and other (seemingly random)occasions, these hardworking beasts come out to play on the mainline.

The first time I noticed track vehicles was on my way to school back late 1980's, I still remember the first types I saw early one morning,  a tribe of 3 small yellow Plasser machines all with flood lights and beacons blazing .

I pondered back then.... what are they? what was their purpose, who controlled them?

I have since then hunt them down(for photos and info) like a big game hunter, sensing their presence, feeling their energy, sometimes catching a glimpse of them whilst driving in a car nearby the railway. I once tracked a herd of yellow machines all the way down the south coast(Thirroul) where I caught them making camp for the night.

They come in numerous breeds, the most well known here in NSW being the Plasser line of large/medium sized vehicles(Tampers,Profilers,Stabilisers, tracklayers..etc) which are usually yellow in colour and are used for the bulk of the trackwork, other rarer vehicles include,
overhead line/catenary maintaining vehicles(which can include Hi-Rail 4x4's/trucks), these are frequently orange in colour. These are lumbering creatures when spotted, but can be lurking in difficult to reach locations(between stations and under bridges)

There is a well known Plasser track evaluation vehicle which zips around the system periodically checking the track, its appearance is almost always unexpected and I usually have to be a "quick draw" for shots of this. It is a fast beast. It's colours have changed over time but it currently sports a white/dark blue combo.

Even rarer again is the rail grinders which appear, sometimes having migrated from other states, to graze on  NSW rails before moving on....

I have photographed most of them, but still hunt many others...always watching.....waiting

Some are available as HO kits from Kibri(now Veissmann), Bachmann make several US types which can be sometimes kitbashed over to Aussie types.. Bachmann also make a yellow Plasser tamper which comes motorised.

Anyway here is a few shots of some of my ones needing work..........

 Plasser Dynamic Track Stabiliser on the left,  which is a Kibri kit I have motorised. I am currently wiring in a DCC decoder and I have it running but just need to wire all the lighting effects.

 Overhead wiring speeder trolley, maker unknown(at this point). First spotted these a few years ago when the Cronulla line duplication was being started. For finalising work on new overhead wires I think. Unlikely to be motorised as it's too small(or is it?)

 Railcorp LandRover Hi-rail staff vehicle....built on a Bachmann chassis. I will likely add a DCC chip.

 And the Dynamic Track Tamper, Plasser type , kit by Kibri, again motorised and with DCC/lighting effects added/being added.