Just Another Day

Rob McCutcheon is a CMR volunteer, who has just returned to his home on the NSW South Coast from a three day weekend on duty at the railway. He has recorded the events that took place over the course of the three days. (Now one should note that Rob is one of our ‘gun’ engine repair/maintenance men, as a result of experience gained from running his own bus company, so his weekend may be a little different to the usual volunteer’s experience). Our thanks go to Rob for sharing his story with us.

Rob in the driver's seat (Photo: John Gibson)

‘I arrived at CMR about 11am on Friday and checked into the barracks for a three day stay. After unpacking and having a bite to eat, I then went over to the signal box to sign on and to check the notice board for latest operational information. I noted that due to the very hot weather, speed restrictions were in place on one section of the line due to possible kinks in the rails.

Now it was time to head down to the engine shed to see what needed doing. A look through the rollingstock logbooks revealed that CPH 22 was about due for a 25 hour service. The unit was" prepped" and driven out of the shed to the outside pit for underside inspection. Four brake shoes were replaced, brakes adjusted, fan belts re-tensioned and a minor leaking fuel line connection tightened. An adjustment was made to the engine-idle speed, a test drive was undertaken within the yard, the necessary paperwork was completed and #22 was ready to earn her keep once again.

5 pm - time for a cleanup and a refreshing shower back at the barracks. At 5-30pm, Peter and Tracey Lawrence arrive for the weekend. (Readers may remember from the last 'What's New' that Tracey is our female driver - see 'Membership' page). We then head down to the Services Club for a welcome meal. Around 8pm we call in on our Operations Manager, John Wynes and his lovely wife Jean, and enjoy a cool drink and a chat on their front verandah. By 10.30pm it’s time to turn in for the night.

Saturday morning, a 7am breakfast, then down to the engine shed. Pete and I prepare CPH 6 for Saturday duty and park her at the platform by 10am. Our very capable Christa is looking after the booking office today and brightens our morning with generous servings of raisin toast with tea and coffee. Passengers are now arriving and at 11am I drive # 6 to Chakola with Pete as guard. Here we swap jobs and Pete returns to Cooma with our happy passengers. No passengers arrive for the 1pm service to Bunyan, so we give the railmotor a well deserved clean. On the 2pm service, Tracey is our smiling driver as we take more passengers to Chakola with Pete as guard. Back to Cooma on the final run of the day, myself driving and Tracey as guard.

(Photo: John Gibson)

CPH 6 stands at Chakola platform

On the long climb out of Bunyan # 6 seems to be down on power, but we make it back to Cooma. The motor is sounding a bit rough and the exhaust is smoking. We think it could be a fuel problem. We decide that we will investigate early tomorrow morning as we have other commitments pending.

At 4.30pm, Pete and I swap # 6 for # 22. Pete has borrowed an extension chainsaw and we head off to prune the encroaching vegetation which threatens to scratch the sides of our railmotors. This job completed, we return our railmotor to the engine shed and all is locked up for the night by 7pm. Off to the barracks for a shower, on to the club for dinner and we are back in our beds by 10pm.

Sunday morning breakfast is at 6am, thence we go down to the engine shed and start # 6 up. It is still misfiring, so we remove the engine rocker cover and check the injectors. #3 is not working. We remove the injector and discover a broken control rod. As the injector will need to be dismantled the decision is made to send it away for repairs.

Rob (left) and Peter (right) have formed a formidable maintenance team.

In the meantime, Tracey has prepared CPH 22 to work Sunday's roster and has it alongside the platform by 9-45am. No passengers show up for the 11am trip, so we do some cleaning and tidying up in the engine shed, show a visitor around and then have a lunch break. At 1pm and we have almost a full load of passengers for Bunyan, crewed by Pete and Tracey. I elect to do road/rail crossing duty for this trip. At 2pm and we have passengers for Chakola. Pete drives out, Tracy as guard and myself as passenger. It's my turn to drive back to Cooma, where we farewell our final passengers for the day and return our railmotor to the engine shed. There’s time for a cuppa and a yarn and then it's back in the car for the 2 hour drive home.’

(Photo: John Gibson)

One thing that readily becomes apparent in Rob's account is the spirit of camaraderie that exists within the organisation. Duties are shared around all members who are on duty at the time (providing of course that they are qualified to perform them).

It’s good for CMR that Rob and Peter were there when 6 had its little problem. Whilst it did not threaten our continuing operations, the fast analysis and treatment of the problem means minimum downtime for number 6. As our secretary John Wynes commented ‘a GM 6/71 diesel engine doesn’t sound very good running on 5 cylinders’!

Days in the Life

The selection of photos that follow do not depict 'new' occurrences for the CMR. Rather they show operations that can and do occur very frequently throughout the year. But whilst they may be 'just another day' to the railway, we are well aware that they are 'new' and special occasions to most of our passengers. That is why we make every endeavour to ensure that each and every trip is an enjoyable one for those who travel with us.

The next two photos depict a group departure from Cooma on a day when trailer car 55, though not in use, was brought over to the main platform on display, so that people could appreciate its unique dining/lounge car configuration.

(photo: John van Voorst)

The next three photos show changeovers at Bunyan (our half way station) on the days when we run a shuttle operation, with one train running from Cooma to Bunyan and the other from Bunyan to Chakola at the end of CMR's 20 kilometre run. The siding at Bunyan (to the left in these pictures) allows passengers to swap trains mid trip, all part of the fun.

Our final shot is taken at Chakola, where CPH 22 waits patiently for a group that will join it shortly from the nearby hall. CMR makes the hall available to a wide range of groups as the venue for many an enjoyable gathering.

Refer to our Group Tours page if you have an upcoming function that would benefit from the unique CMR experience.