SP - SHIPPING BY RAIL FERRY

EXPERIMENT WITH USING THE RAIL FERRY TO TRANSPORT ROLLING STOCK BETWEEN PORT TERMINALS
 

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With all the industry around the Bay and with the rails being subject to frequent landslips and rail blocks the rail ferries are important for transporting cargo from one side of Murchison County to the other.

Today we have some important cargo to move between the ports.


1: The first shipment across the bay is waiting at Port Ross and is ready to load for Port Jackson

        - Shunt the box car and flat car onto the ferry barge using the SW1500 thats coupled up
        - You will need to move slowly until the wagons are firmly on the ferry (You will need to push them until they lock with the barge and the barge starts to move)

        - Uncouple the wagons and reverse the SW1500 into the yard

 

(take care to check what you are controlling before you drive off. After uncoupling the shunter your control may have switched to the tug so click on the shunter to ensure that you are controlling the  right item .... if you are not sure than a press 1 for Cab view to see which cab you are in)

 


2: Now climb aboard the tug pusher for the trip to Port Jackson

        - Reverse the barge out past both the red flashing buoys (You will need to go back as far as you can but stop before you hit the end-of-track buoy.)
        - Then push the ferry to Port Jackson

        (You may prefer to let the Driving Assistant take care of the barge trip to Port Ross)

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Port Ross Ferry Reverse

                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry In 1
 

        - When the ferry stops at Port Jackson take control and carefully move the barge up to the docking ramp.
        - Use the 4-4-0 on the Port Jackson wharf to unload the barge (uncouple the wagons from the barge the same as you would uncouple wagons)

 

(again take care to check what you are controlling before you drive off. After uncoupling the locomotive your control may have switched to the tug)

 

        - Shunt the wagons into a siding

3: The next stage is to take charge of the green & white Rail Ferry (waiting just out from the wharf) to transport a shipment to Picton wharf

        - Clear the ramp by reversing the tug and barge out past both the red flashing buoys.
        - You will need to go back as far as you can but stop before you hit the end-of-track buoy.
       

        (You may prefer to let the Driving Assistant take care of the barge trip to Port Ross)

                *** Navigate to Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry Reverse 1

        - Now take control of the Rail Ferry and bring it slowly and carefully into the loading ramp.

                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry In 2

        - Now shunt the two oil tankers onto the ferry (remember .. not too fast and make sure the wagons couple with the ferry)

        - Next sail for Picton Ferry terminal

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry Reverse 2

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Picton Ferry 1
                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Picton Ferry In

 

        - When the Rail Ferry stops take control of it and bring it slowly and carefully into the loading ramp.
        - Use the UP SD-40 on Picton wharf to unload the ferry

 

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You can finish here or, if you want to experiment with the track markers and do the return trip to Port Jackson and onto Port Ross, here is the sequence.

 

        - Use the GP-60 to load two wagons onto the Rail Ferry at Picton

        - Head back to the Port Jackson wharf

 

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Picton Ferry reverse

                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry In 2


        - Unload the Rail Ferry at Port Jackson

        - Reverse the Rail Ferry clear of the loading ramp.

 

                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry Reverse 2

 

        - Now take control of the tug-pusher and push the rail barge carefully up to the loading ramp

 

                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry In 1

 

        - Load the rail barge

        - Head the loaded barge back to Port Ross

 

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Port Jackson Ferry Reverse 1

                *** Navigate Via Trackmark ... Port Jackson Lighthouse
                *** Navigate To Trackmark ... Port Ross Ferry In

 

        - When the Rail Ferry stops take control of it and bring it slowly and carefully into the loading ramp.

        - Use the SW1500 in the Port Ross yard to unload the ferry

 

        All finished!

 

 

- End