Wow, Track Investigation Train at Swan Hill and N12 suddenly pops up in Melb Yard!!!

It seems Coincidental that IVE track investigation train pops up after those storms that rattled through Vic

A string of events taken place recently and it seem uncanny and surreal seeing it all unfold before my very eyes

I don’t know how I managed to catch this track inspection train at Swan Hill station to snap a few pic but I did somehow…..As I had no info to the location of this train

1. 9/11 -VN10 I got off the morning service to happy to see the Track Investigation Train [IVE] which I fondly call Elvis after a famous singer!
   • hauled by two loco P Class & T Class former shunting locomotives waiting for our train to arrive before leaving the Siding at Swan Hill!
     • On the return BZN258 air-conditioning system had failed a bit warm for most people in my case it was just nice as it was getting cooler outside late afternoon.
2. 11/11 Nov from VN14’s BZN258 window I saw N12 in yard tucked away behind a few VLocitys IMU rail cars departing Southern Cross.
   • One the return VN10 at Bendigo Rly Workshop in the afternoon before arriving to Bendigo station for the school bags special.
   • Pacific National’s G class at Kyneton. very rare to see this during peak hr during the week.
3. 12/11 VN14 On route from Footscray that day Slight spike 07:53 in fluro tube of carriage could be N458 or the train got bounced too hard during or after those storms at 3-4 /11?
   • Is it possible the stormy, wet weather made a few good mud holes here and and there on route ?
   • It seem fairly rough felt a lot rougher on some sections and noticed a few trees down on route along the the way.
     • Some seem look they were struck by lightning it looked a bit black around the edges where it was broken and lying on the ground near by.
4. Before pulling in at Swan Hill Station.
   • I was peering out the window before it’s occurrence I heard the “click” in the train
   • Turn my head in time, just to saw the light go out in the carriage including the emergency lights!
   • train lost lights/power 12:35 before arriving at Swan Hill!

Oye! Lights out!!!

Shortly after they reset it to get light/power back after we arrived at Swan Hill.

On arrival saw a company car of v/line parked next the station as the crew was prepping the train for the return

I saw 3 guys with high vis walking down the rail corridor in light blue shirts..

Interesting, I wonder if the rail infrastructure dept or engineers assessing the rail corridor for upgrades?

• Beforehand off Kerang on the down direction I noticed which seem to me to be some sort of measurements sprayed in yellow next the rail line
• On one my trips as I passed Kerang station I saw guy with wheel thing which I am aware take big long continuous measurements for something.
• Notice on the return N460 in Bendigo sliding which sheltered amongst a P or T SSR B sitting around reason seem unknown the rare sight was Pacific National G Class loco is now sitting there with a red flag on it front coupler!

Questions to considered of these odd events taking place.

1. I wonder if there something emerging that very few people know but not letting on as for now thing are very uncertain as to upgrades to Swan Hill Line?
2. As I believe the state budgets is currently too tight do the rolling stock and track upgrade properly to a certain acceptable standard for the “Regional” rail travelling condition
3. why not defer it and get back to it when the funding issues have stabilised?
4. It strange how N12 pops up in Melb yard but now as only 4 cars!
   • From my experience the on Swan Hill Evening service are often busy
   • Melb to Bendigo plenty of people during the evening peck
   • between Bendigo and Swan Hill you have a good crowd people boarding why reduce it to 4 cars?
     • The 4 car could be BZN265 with the rivets on rollingstock out line, that often made nasty noise when scrapped Albion platform whist the train was passing by
     • Did they retire because it scrapped platforms or are they storing it somewhere?
5. In regard with adding a carriages when most have being given alway to groups and sold off how reinstating those carriages that seemly has not turned a wheel since few groups got them?
   • ie: Castlemaine by the mainline in view of the public 3 older classic carriages sitting there not being used or operated currently it hasn’t turn a wheel while since it was reallocate to that group to care, operate them there.
   • What more, there rust patches exposed in the paint work and you can see rust stains down its side
   • torn tarp on the roof hatch area containing the Air conditioning system in the carriage.
   • Plus the curtain some partly fallen down inside the carriages
   • It not a good look to see such fine carriages in state of disrepair.
   • how about V/Line management take back the one of the three carriages located there without the rivets to make N12 5 cars again which is currently the standard length of the Classic fleet?

Some on seeing this in public view could be thinking

“By golly, if that group can’t justify maintaining or operate those carriages of classic fleet on regular basis why put your hand up for them?”

As I believe in this common saying or proverb when come to upgrades be rail or anything else:

” If Aren’t broke, Don’t Fix It…”

As with current issues on the upgrades for Regional Rail users I will slightly modify this well known saying as written below.

If aren’t broke don’t fix it ,by breaking it to fix it and making it WORSE!!!

On returning on 12/11 I saw N12 tucked away and VN17 was missing not sure what happen to it properly being worked on whist VN10 took the Evening run and Y came up promptly after arrival to take VN14 back to the yard.

Whist leaving I saw N class pop up and moving around the station.

This Morning service 13/11 07:39 was replace with VLocity DMU and coach from Bendigo onward both directions!

Reason Given was by V/Line was Crew delays

Conclusion:

I am was not entirely convinced the crew was responsible for the change of rolling stock as 13/11

Quoted from V/Line website:

“the 07:39 Southern Cross -Swan Hill Service will end early at Bendigo and no longer run to Swan Hill….”

As 9/12 I saw VN14 being taken away empty in push pull configuration down the mainline it seems possible to looked at due issues before departure and V/Line said the train was delayed due crew delays when it was shortage of rolling stock as at the time VN10 was hauled out the yard at short notice leaving no spares!

• Is there some sort of issues emerging with in the operator between frontline & top managers?
• I wonder if N12 was rostered to run this morning service after being out of use so long stationary at Bendigo since Jun 25?

I would thought they would gone through some test run to ensure everything was working properly before using it!

N locomotives, I understand only handful remains in V/Line it seems lack of them as most have being sold off to a freight operator who uses them to pull their freight trains which is not light work!

Could it be other railway operators within the industry are laughing at them for giving or selling away rolling stock when the issues of fleet availably is not being addressed properly?

What a dog’s breakfast!!!