Renewed energy is going into maintenance of the Michelago Tourist Railway (MTR) track.

Work parties have been tackling the task of replacing worn-out sleepers, removing encroaching vegetation and clearing unsightly trackside rubbish - all arduous tasks (click image to see larger picture).

Between April and the end of 2005, the urgent need to replace sleepers has seen volunteer work crews replace 335 aged and deteriorated timber sleepers with new steel or good quality timber sleepers.

Work has centred on the Tuggeranong Bank just to the south of the ACT water tank on the west side of the track, at Tuggeranong siding, and at Royalla (on the main track, on the passing loop, and on the rails leading from the track trolley shed).

On one working day - Friday, April 29 - 13 Society members including the crew of the work train's 7319 inserted 27 sleepers for the day, easily our best result for some years (click on image).

Vegetation control has centred on removing blackberries around Guise's Creek bridge, weeds and blackberries at Tuggeranong siding, and weeds from Royalla where the station yard is now largely clear of long growth.

At this stage, the sleeper renewal work is manual - heavy and tiring - and in the cuttings it has taken ingenuity and sweat (OK, and some swearing), to remove and insert sleepers where there is little clearance on either side of the track.

The upside has been the delightful weather, bushland setting, and the satisfaction as the last clip of each steel sleeper is driven.

And while the work has progressed, moves are afoot to get three critical pieces of track equipment back into service, which hopefully will remove a lot of the heavy manual labour.

So, what has led to this resurgence of activity on the MTR?

Our reality is that many of the wooden sleepers have reached the end of their working life, and some have significantly deteriorated.

To comply with safety standards, there is a need to replace those sleepers which are no longer effective.

The life of wooden sleepers varies with environmental conditions (for example, the effectiveness of water drainage from the track) but typically we can expect wooden sleepers on the MTR to last at least 20 years.

We need to replace large numbers of sleepers in the short term, and ideally maintain a systematic annual replacement program (see also the item below about sleeper numbers).

The great thing about using steel sleepers, which are being used in the current program, is their (relatively!) light weight, strength, their effectiveness at holding the track strictly to gauge, and their long life.

Past railway experience suggests we can expect the replacement sleepers to last at least 50 years, and there are examples (in Australia) where track laid with steel sleepers more than 100 years ago has yet to require sleeper replacements.

For those who are currently bending their backs, what a sweet thought! (Click on image).

Eventually we can expect to see more and more of these steel sleepers playing a part on the MTR.

If you feel like helping maintain this important part of the Society, come join the crew.

Or if the admittedly heavy work of sleeper replacement is not for you, vegetation control is another MTR task where volunteers might consider helping.

Apart from causing track drainage problems, vegetation has been increasingly of concern because of its closeness to passing trains, and thus potentially to passengers. It also scratches the precious paintwork of our trains.

While many of the offending trees and plants have already trimmed or removed, there is again a continuing need for regularly pruning or removal to get on top of this problem - and stay on top.

So, where to from here?

Apart from the regular track and foliage working bees, two allied things are happening.

One is to assess the work required to maintain the MTR to Royalla, and to see if realistically we can re-open the line to Williamsdale and thence to Michelago.

 
- Continued next column

Track inspections beyond Royalla are suggesting that better drainage of the track on the southerly section has meant the condition of the line is not as stressed as parts of the northern section.

These inspections are also looking at the feasibility of resolving bridge issues. Two bridges require significant attention, and two others are in need of work.

Bridge issues, of course, are something that apply along the whole length of the MTR and the inspections are establishing the extent of work required.

The second thing taking place is to get three critical items of track equipment working again.

Over the years, the Society has been fortunate in receiving donations of various track machinery. Most had since been restored to service for ARHS use but now require further mechanical attention, so the priorities are:

• getting operational the recently-donated sleeper extractor/inserter - hopefully by the end of June (click on above image); and
• have the Hi-Rail vehicle, to carry work crews and equipment, brought up to roadworthy standard.

So, what might you do?

Although the weekly working bees are seeing a reasonably-sized contingent out on the track, there is a great need to spread the work (and the fun) around.

Track work is occurring at least every Friday, and a second day each week looks at vegetation control - the day depends on when volunteers are available.

The new track manager, Erik Jochimsen, is the person to contact to register your willingness to help at any of the working bees.

If you would like to support the overall development or management of the MTR, please discuss your ideas with the MTR manager, Karl Maftoum.

Your help will be appreciated!

Contact details: Erik 6295 7719 (ah) to join working bees; Karl (02) 6285 4463 or 0410 712 711 to talk MTR management issues.

Engineers from TRAM Engineering and Services Pty Ltd of Melbourne spent the May 14-15 weekend inspecting the MTR track and bridges.

Their report contained both good news and notice of the significant work that lies ahead to keep open the track to Royalla, or to reopen the line to Michelago.

The good news was that trains can continue to operate between Queanbeyan and Royalla subject to the replacement of some sleepers on the crossing loop at Royalla (this work is currently underway).

The report said that while the track was generally satisfactory for the current task (but with a need for many sleeper replacements), the condition of some of the bridges was a major concern.

Without extensive work being carried out within the next 1 to 3 years, the railway could have to close because of bridge conditions.

A substantial program to either repair, renew timbers or replace the bridges altogether is seen to be necessary.

On the track itself, the engineers recommended an investment of at least 600 new sleepers per year for the next three years.

This rate would not maintain the track in perpetuity, but after three years this rate should be increased in the section between Queanbeyan and Royalla to about 1400/per year.

The use of steel sleepers will assist to extend the life of the existing timber sleepers and was highly recommended.

Given that there are about 1300 sleepers/km on the rail and that the average timber sleeper has a life of 20 to 25 years, the replacement rate per km should then become in the order of 60 per year/km .

The engineers added that the existing railway has a good inherent structure.

They strongly recommended that as part of our inspection procedures that:

• The track be walked overall every 12 months, with every curve being walked every three months. This could be done in sections and marked off on a register;
• The bridges be inspected every 6 months and the toms checked for tightness.

Another area that concerned them was tree growth alongside the track formation, within a metre or so of the outside of the rails.

They recommended that these trees be cut or trimmed to ground level before they become excessive in size and require heavy tools to remove.

 
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