Back around the 1980s the SRA of NSW monthly rollingstock lists mentioned recoding of several NQJW container wagons to NQTW and NQWW types.  Did these recodings represent specific modificatons to the wagons concerned or their allocation to particular traffics? 

Back around the 1980s the SRA of NSW monthly rollingstock lists mentioned recoding of several NQJW container wagons to NQTW and NQWW types.  Did these recodings represent specific modificatons to the wagons concerned or their allocation to particular traffics? 

At this distance in time, the best available reference is the TIMS listing on the Comrails website (as unlikely as that might sound at first). The TIMS listing is a truly amazing thing, if full of strange incorrect facts.

It seems that the same group of wagons, 22001 to 22032 were recoded to NQTW and subsequently became NQWW. They were still NQWW in 1994 when they passed to National Rail becoming type RQWW.

This RQWW type is still listed at April 2012, although that doesn't prove much. I think they are still around.

I think I've seen RQWW and RQJW wagons on the same services but that doesn't mean the original classification wasn't for a particular service.

M636C

Back around the 1980s the SRA of NSW monthly rollingstock lists mentioned recoding of several NQJW container wagons to NQTW and NQWW types.  Did these recodings represent specific modificatons to the wagons concerned or their allocation to particular traffics? 

The original recoding reflected the fact that the first 32 wagons were different from the rest of the NQJWs. The first 32 had "decks" that were wider above the bogies than between the bogies. There may have been a difference in capacity or perhaps method of loading as a result. So it wasn't really a modification or a change in traffic that caused the recode.

The story I heard for the change from NQTW to NQWW was that it was too easy to mistake NQTW for NQJW in hand written lists but I don't know that I believe this, but it's as good a reason/story as any. Whatever the reason, the NQTW code was very shortlived.

As far as I know some of the wagons are still in service although not all still bear the RQWW code as some were traded to QRN a few years ago. There may very well have been withdrawals as well - I haven't been out looking at wagons for a couple of years and they may have disappeared from PN service - they were becoming uncommon a few years ago.

Back around the 1980s the SRA of NSW monthly rollingstock lists mentioned recoding of several NQJW container wagons to NQTW and NQWW types.  Did these recodings represent specific modificatons to the wagons concerned or their allocation to particular traffics? 

The original recoding reflected the fact that the first 32 wagons were different from the rest of the NQJWs. The first 32 had "decks" that were wider above the bogies than between the bogies. There may have been a difference in capacity or perhaps method of loading as a result. So it wasn't really a modification or a change in traffic that caused the recode.

The story I heard for the change from NQTW to NQWW was that it was too easy to mistake NQTW for NQJW in hand written lists but I don't know that I believe this, but it's as good a reason/story as any. Whatever the reason, the NQTW code was very shortlived.

As far as I know some of the wagons are still in service although not all still bear the RQWW code as some were traded to QRN a few years ago. There may very well have been withdrawals as well - I haven't been out looking at wagons for a couple of years and they may have disappeared from PN service - they were becoming uncommon a few years ago.

Correct the WW's and some JW's (channel sided ones) have been transfered to QRN, but are now few and far between due to the introduction of QQCY's. There is a very small number of WW's still with PN (i reckon less than 5) . Mainly the EPT JW's and Mittagong Enginerring 80 footers still remain with PN. 

There is still a few of RQWW's running around on PN services, of which I have photos of four of them: 22013, 22014, 22020 and 22031, though as stated above, there may be more

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greensleeves94/6794958507/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greensleeves94/6651833735/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greensleeves94/6929809624/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greensleeves94/5924875460/

Perhaps a bit off topic here but for interests sake, around the late 80's or very early 90's I have sighted and photographed some of the 'JCW" type wagons carrying 30' CRT containers. One has the 30' box sitting on the centre cross bearer, with the other end on about the bogie bolster. This would be similar to the way some AQDW wagons had IBC lugs fitted to one bogie bolster to carry a 48' container at that end. The other wagon has the 30' boxes at the ends of the wagon with a 20' box between. This one would have needed to have some extra cross bearers fitted to support this arrangement. You would think it would have carried a different code for that reason. These wagons were used on the METS train, generally only one wagon carrying a 30' box or 2.

A question I have, which is related to this thread perhaps, does anyone have a photo or information on the group of about 6 or so 'JCW' wagons repainted at about that time, in some kind of purple or blue colour? I think it was done for the opening of a Trackfast centre or something. I would like to paint one that way, HO of course.

thanks for that information.

The first 32 cars (22001 - 22032) originally carried the JCW code and were used by Thomas Nationwide Transport in its freight forwarding role to convey TNT jumbo containers loaded with Ford car parts between Broadmeadows (Vic) to Sydney.  Later builds of these wagons appear to have been intended for general traffic purposes.   

thanks for that information.

The first 32 cars (22001 - 22032) originally carried the JCW code and were used by Thomas Nationwide Transport in its freight forwarding role to convey TNT jumbo containers loaded with Ford car parts between Broadmeadows (Vic) to Sydney.  Later builds of these wagons appear to have been intended for general traffic purposes.   

The system of adopting a check-letter following a locomotive or vehicle's identity was around the mid-1980s, a short time after the four-letter coding system came into being.  In relation to freight wagons, each vehicle is allocated a 9-character alpha-numeric code, the first four characters represent the vehicle's class and the other five, the vehicle's unique road number.

See http://www.comrails.com/common/check_letter.html for an explanation of the system and the means of calculating the check-letter suffixes.

Some interesting reading - "Disappearing Markets - The Relentless Pursuit of Indifference", RTSA (NSW Chapter) Newsletter, December 2008; pp10-14.  Discussion of Australian freight forwarding proposals and implementation by TNT-Alltrans, Mayne Nickless and Ansett Freight Services.  Includes both jumbo container wagons and flexivan carriers.

See also Tony McLauglin, "The Contrans Train", Australian Railways Illistrated, v3, n3, June 2012; pp30-43.

The flexivan carriers were operated for Ansett Freight Services under the FVF code (single flexivan carrier for broad gauge services) and TVX/TVF codes (twin flexivan carrier for bogie exchange operations).  The twin carriers were mainly converted to conventional container wagons (which included the removal of the turntables on those wagons and alterations to the side sills) and recoded NQVF.

Some interesting reading - "Disappearing Markets - The Relentless Pursuit of Indifference", RTSA (NSW Chapter) Newsletter, December 2008; pp10-14. Discussion of Australian freight forwarding proposals and implementation by TNT-Alltrans, Mayne Nickless and Ansett Freight Services. Includes both jumbo container wagons and flexivan carriers.

See also Tony McLauglin, "The Contrans Train", Australian Railways Illistrated, v3, n3, June 2012; pp30-43.

The flexivan carriers were operated for Ansett Freight Services under the FVF code (single flexivan carrier for broad gauge services) and TVX/TVF codes (twin flexivan carrier for bogie exchange operations). The twin carriers were mainly converted to conventional container wagons (which included the removal of the turntables on those wagons and alterations to the side sills) and recoded NQVF.

As NQVF/NQVX wagons, the flexivan carriers had been converted to orthodox container wagons.  A case of the four-letter codes being used for a purpose other than what would have been intended.  Some of the flexivan carriers were "long-term" residents at Waterfall and Picton sidings before their conversions.