Last week, while accommodating guests, the comment was made that a day outing or activity be undertaken. Naturally I had my guests best interests at heart and suggested that a scenic jaunt to Arthur's Pass would be a good move. There was unanimous agreement. The fact that there was likely to be an opportunity to snap several trains along the way was merely a coincidence, honestly! Thus, last Thursday, this happened: (apologies if the photos are a bit large for dial-up users)
Late morning we came across (quite by accident) DC 4473 and an unidentified sister arriving at Cass with a west bound freight. Immediately after this photo my camera decided it was actually a toaster, so I missed identifying and shooting the second DC.
No, this is not a 1:120 model! After de-toastering my camera we stopped about 10km west of Cass and got the above long shot of the same freight paused at a signal in the passing loop, just after it crossed the Waimakariri river.
The closest shot I could get (which is still far away) with my cheap camera and no tripod. Due to other 'tourist' commitments I caught up with this train just as it entered the Otira tunnel, so no more photos of that one.
Sometime after midday, while I was trapped in a cafe' having lunch and making polite conversation, an eastbound loaded coalie snuck into the Arthur's Pass yard. By the time I escaped, it had decoupled from the helper engines and backed down in to the station loop and also into a spur siding off the end of the loop. Evidently it was too long for the loop. In the above photo DX 5195 and 5189 are waiting for the arriving westbound empty train, hauled by DX 5454 and 5425 (the Corn cobb) to clear the loop.
The rest of the loaded coalie sitting in the loop and extending off into the siding in the distance.
Closer view of 5189...
...and 5195.
These are the three helper engines (5172, 5293 and 5356) that assisted the eastbound coal train up from Otira through the tunnel. Presumably they were going to be hooked up to the westbound empty for the return to Otira. Immediately after taking this shot we left the area. I intended to catch some shots of the eastbound train as it passed over the Bealey river bridge which is about 8 kms away from the yard. However, the driver must have figured out my scheme because the train was already crossing the bridge by the time I got there! Damn! Who would have thought a heavily loaded train on a down grade could go so fast! We didn't catch up with that one either.
Just for modelling interest, the bridge at the extreme east end of the Arthur's Pass yard. The helper engines are on a siding immediately to the left of this pic.
The chassis of P 107 sitting at Springfield, presumably awaiting the completion of the Midland Rail Heritage Trust facilities before continuing its resotoration. I understand that at least one patron of this fine website is personally familiar with this engine.
And finally, no trip through the pass is complete without a photo of a big, fat Kea.
