In sixties when travelled
by train in highly polished wooden carriages, the windows were open and fresh
air filled the carriage. For us train fans, the open windows allow us to poke
our heads out and look at the action, looking forward towards the engine often
ended with a cinder in the eye. But, it did allow us a second look after
passing something interesting track side. It also allowed noise from the track
and track side to enter the carriage.
From time to time when
passing track side fettlers leaning on their shovels, you would hear outside
the carriage window in a loud voice “PAPER”
“PAPER”. Passenger having finished reading the morning newspaper or
their magazines would toss them out the window for the fetters. This gave the
boys looking after the track we are running on the latest news, many of them
worked and lived in isolated locations. Even in the sixties paper was recycled,
after being read by all in the gang the paper was using to light the fire for
the billy or for ones business behind the big old gum tree.
On our layouts there are
many aspects of track workers activities we can add beside the line. This will
very subject to era. In the fifties they camped in tents, went to work on pump
trollies and it was all manual labour with hand tools. In the sixties things
started to change, portable huts and motorised transport. The seventies saw the
introduction of mechanised tools. Little later things moved on to demountable
building and hi-rail vehicles. Also over time there were changes in gang size
and how and who did what.
On my layout “Westgate”
the period is set in the sixties. In this era a fettling gang was about six men
and they were allocated about 15 miles of track. There main tasks were to “run
the road” to inspect the track, this was done daily first up. At weekend one or
two guys would get overtime to check the track and make sure it was safe for trains.
Depending on the job location, one fettler may “run the road” on the trike with
a couple of spanners for fish plate bolts. Once the road was run, he joins the
rest of the gang. Other duties include packing
holes that form due to substandard foundations to keep a good top and line,
this could be a clay hole that may require extra ballast. Replace an odd
sleeper or two to keep gauge when required, run ballast, unload sleeper, repair
fences. Friday was yard day, oiling points, weeding etc. At isolated sidings and
stations the gang would fold tarps, report wagon status to supervising stations
and do signals (keep the kero light burning).
Each gang had a number
relevant to the division and line. Their area of responsible had markers much
the same as mile posts (24/25, 25/26). Each gang had a trolley shed at their
home station, most being two or three stalls. They were nothing flash,
generally C.G.Iron sides and back and picket sliding gates on the front. Only
the valuable were locked up in the shed, Fairmont quids, tools etc. flat tops,
pump carts, trikes etc. were chain up outside the shed. Outside looked a bit
like a junk heap, 44 gallon drums of fishplates, bolts, dog spikes etc. You
could also find a few sleeper and may be a rail stack near-by.
Some larger stations had a
trolley shed each side of town, at other locations they could all be together.
May be an inspector or two who have their own scooters and sheds. On the QR
network there was generally two gangs every two stations, one working each way
from home. At isolated locations were would be a few houses and portable huts
for the boys to camp during the week at work. Gangers were entitled to a free
house.
Gangs worked Monday to
Friday, 07:00 am to 4:00 pm with one hour for lunch. The day started with the
Ganger visiting the local Station Master for train times for the day. The
Station Master would get estimated times from the Train Controller, and any
track issued reported by train crews. The Train Controller would mark his
diagram with these times and trains would not run before it unless the gang
could be contacted. Between trains the boys would set off for work on the Fairmont
quids towing a flat top of tools. Flat tops were also used to convey ballast
and sleepers. At times, a length of rail would be required at a work site,
“flat tops” were placed at each end of the rail. Sometimes, subject to the size
of the Fairmont, they may tow two or more Flat Tops. The bigger gangs had “Flat
Tops” set up to carried the troops, a frame for seating much like the Fairmont
arrangement was added to the top. The section authority was not required for on track movements.
At regular locations
there are “Take Offs” where the gang can remove their on-track vehicles off the
main line to safety. These are made from worm rail with just a few sleeper to
keep gauge. A white post is used as a marker, once again this could be a piece
of worn rail. A small wooden platform is made between the running rails to
assist in getting the vehicles off track. If the track is elevated, a few old
sleepers are stacked in a pig sty would support the take off. Most of these
locations will have some means to erect a fly (tarp) for shade. Plus you need a
suitable place for a fire to boil the billy.
If there was a trouble
spot, i.e. a clay hole that requires packing every few weeks. The boys will make
a bin from old sleepers to store a small amount of ballast. This could be
topped up from an open wagon arranged from passing train. The wagon may be
spread over the a few bins along their section of responsibility.
Fettlers are also call
out outside working hours to remove stock on the line, derailment, washouts, etc.
On “Westgate” I have
various gangs working around the layout on both the QR and NSWR networks. Some
kits were used with many items being scratch built from the junk box.
The pump trikes are a
Sequoia #12 sq Standard Gauge Velocipede available in the US for $ 8.99. The
two on the QR network had the outrigger reduced for 3’ 6” gauge
operations.
Flying
Gangs: - Each district
had Flying Gangs that would move about doing major track jobs. These boys would
do relaying work, replacing sleepers and rail replacement. As locomotives got
bigger and heavier, the track needed to be heavier too. In the fifties and
sixties the gangs camped in portable bond wood huts, as the gang moved from
place to place, the huts were pulled down and loaded into open wagons. The
contents of the huts were loaded into box wagons. The stove was placed in the
open door to allow cooking during the move. Beds and effects were placed in
each corner of the wagon. Toilets and showers were portable units, the showers
were just a bucket on a pulley. The gang would consist of about 30 men, the
youngest being 15 years of age, he was the Nipper. The Nipper kept the billy
boiling and was a runner for tools etc.
S Wagon with bond wood hut
The
huts were set up facing each other with a small covered deck between them used
as a meal area. One side had a stove recess for a wooden stove for cooking. As
time moved on these gangs moved into modified old carriages and were called
Mechanised Gangs. In the eighties demountable buildings were fitted to old
carriage underframes and they had another name change to Migratory Gangs.
On “Westgate” I have
scratch build a camp mainly from styrene.
Bridge
Gangs/Bridge Painter Gangs: - As
the name suggests, these boys look after bridges and stock yards and move about
similar to like the Flying Gang.
Concrete
Gangs: - By now you
have worked it out, Yes these guys mix cement and work on bridges and culverts
and moved around their district.
As 8028
slows down entering a “Temporary Speed Restriction” zone (TSR) for bridge
repair, the concrete gang labours take a break.
The roadside water tank was made from a cotton reel with C.G.I wrapped
around it. Local shunt trains on set days of the week conveyed a water wagon
and filled tanks that displayed a flag. The hard hats were made from styrene
sheet using a leather punch, a hole was drilled in the centre for his head,
paint to colour of choice. Bridge corbels are wooden dowel shaved flat on both
sides and painted black. Sand heap was added near the mixer.
Fence
Gangs: - Likewise,
these blokes replacing the fences each side of the track in their district.
Most of these gang moved
from town to town and set up a camp and went to work on section cars.
Other maintenance workers
moved around their district in mobile accommodation called a camp wagons. Most
were just box wagons with a few window punched in the sides and end. Both four
and eight wheeled wagons were used subject to the number of men in the gang. Most
have support wagons attached for tools and materials, these wagons were
generally the oldest wagons on the network.
26' C wagon made into a camp wagon.
In the seventies QR
started a project to replace and upgrade camp wagons, over the next 20 years over 400 new camp wagons were build.
Bottle gas was installed to make life easier for the troops.
Station
Painters: - Painted
stations, goods shed, railway houses. Support wagon could be a box wagon for
paint, ladders, trestles, planks etc.
Station
Plumbers: - Plumbing
activities to railway buildings. Support wagon would be a box wagon for tools
and materials. May be an open wagon covered with a tarp for roofing iron.
Station
Carpenters: - Repairs,
extensions to railway buildings. Support wagons could be similar to the
plumber.
Interlockers
Fitters: - Maintenance
on signal cabins. Generally a support wagon was a four wheeled box wagon.
Weighbridge
Fitters: - Maintenance
on weigh bridges, (rail/cart) and station scales. Support wagons could be a box
wagon for tools and materials. Most rail system had an odd mix of weigh bridge
test wagons.
Signal
Maintainer’s:-
Maintenance on signals, boom gates etc. Support wagon would be a box wagon.
Plant
Operator: - This guy
had a grader and worked trackside keeping drains clean and formation work.
Support wagons would be a wagon suitable to carry a grader, an open wagon for
fuel, oil, grease, spare parts, tool boxes, portable toilet and shower unit.
Temporary
Speed Restrictions (TSR).
Many
of the jobs carried out by maintenance crews requires trains to travel over the
work site at reduced speed. To achieve
this “Temporary Speed Restrictions” are put into place. In the sixties on the
QR network, this was just two boards, one each side of the work. The approach
side was green and the departure side was white. Lights of the same colour were
placed on the boards. Location of speed restrictions was on train notice,
drivers were to read these notices before leaving the depot.
Today there is a minimum
of six boards/signals each side of the weaken section, Caution Board is placed
2000 metres from the work site, Slow Board with speed required details 50
metres from work site and a Cancellation Board 50 metres after the work site.
There is provision for repeat boards should there be a stopping location within
the zone between the boards. The type of board will very between networks.
In
this scene the pump trike is Sequoia #12 sq Standard Gauge Velocipede, the out rigger
has been reduced for 12 mm. The billy fire is $ 2.00 cheap store “T” candle,
the outer candle base was removed to expose the LED and terminals. A few dots
of paint were added to get away from just a bulb appearance. A few fallen twigs
from the back yard were painted black and placed over the bulb to give the camp
fire look. A billy stand and billy was added. The “Road Runner” was painted, a
hat made and added. To give a bit of colour to the scene, a yellow tucker box
was added to the trike.
When my skills
improve I thinking of adding a push button animated voice call of “Paper”
“Paper” to add just that little more.
If
modelling an era research could be required, in the sixties the guys did not
have a set dress code, by the nineties hi visible clothing was the norm for
everyone. Likewise with equipment, section car, flat tops were red in colour in
the sixties, a few years later yellow was standard.
Most
of these railway activities can enhance your layout and set the scene just like
the prototype. These can make a great little modelling project and can be
achieved within a few hours.
