Moving target

Beware, take care, Komata's 'Blog has resurfaced (just when you thought it was safe. .), with another excursion into the world of railways which might be of interest. . .(and yes MooseID, it will be a multi-part 'Blog - you have been warned LOL).

The recent gun-related incidents in the US, bought to mind something which happened to me many years ago, but which shows that even in a small quiet group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean (aka New Zealand), similar events can occur - though in this case they had a happier ending - just!!

At the time what I am about to relate took place, I was Officer in Charge (aka Station Agent) of Manurewa, a small station on the outskirts of Auckland - New Zealand's largest city. (A station building which looked very much like the Puketeroto Station building in Komata's Album in the Gallery - I tend to model what I know). 

Some 2 miles South of Manurewa was a halt-type unattended station named Te Mahia, consisting of a platform, bus-shelter-type building  and surrounded by low-income housing.

Te Mahia had always been a problem for me and my predecessors, with lots of bored kids with time on their hands in the area.  This combined with the aforementioned houses that backed onto the railway line gave plenty of opportunities for a wide vaiety of vandalism, with the railway being a favourite target.

 On this particular afternoon, I was expecting No.238 Frankton-Auckland goods (Freight) train to pass through at around 1430 (2.30pm). It was school-holiday time and quiet. 

I was on the platform waiting to do a visual check of the train as it went past, just to make sure that no handbrakes were on, and to see that the train was complete and without anything falling off. This was standard practice for all railwaymen as laid down in the Rule Book

Manurewa was half-way up a long rather steep grade, and all goods trains had to work hard as they came up the grade and around the curve towards the station building, before continuing the slog to top-of-grade at Homai (about 2 miles North of Manurewa)

 No.238 was invariably 2 Da-class locomotives (EMD Class G-12) at the head of a 100-wagon train, with the total train weight being in the vicinity of 1,000 ton.  Not much for some of our readers, but on 3ft 6in gauge with a rising grade, a respectable load none- the-less.

Sure enough, 238 came slowly up the hill.  Double-headed Da's, as usual, with the expected 1,000 tons on behind.  The same as always - a big train, a long. long grade from Te Mahia, and very hard work for the Da's and their crew.  Situation normal.

Normally, the driver would just wave as he went past, trying very hard to keep his train moving up the grade on towards  Homai, and I'd watch for hotboxes, open wagon doors, and whatever else was out of the ordinary. (There were no R/T's in those days).

Not so on this day!!!

As the Da's came up to where I was standing , under the station verandah, the train brakes went on and the train came to a halt.

Now, for a Driver to stop a 1,000-ton train on a grade like Manurewa's, something HAD  to be wrong - re-starting with that tonnage on THAT grade was difficult indeed!

The lead locomotive came to a stand just before the verandah and I was already beside the cab asking what was wrong before it actually rolled to a stop.

The driver, white as a ghost, was out of the cab in a flash!

He was somewhat shaken, but managed to tell me that, coming up past Te Mahia, someone had fired two shots at his cab - missing him by inches!

Initially I though he was  'having me on' - kidding me (though for what reason I couldn't begin to imagine), but no, he was VERY serious, so we checked - carefully.

Sure enough, on the guttering just above the driver's window (the locomotive was facing short-hood forward), there was a neat little hole about 3in above the driver's head, while next to it was a neat line where a ricochet had taken away the paint work. 

The bullet causing the hole had gone somewhere else, leaving a crease-mark on the cab roof as it left.

It transpired that the driver was leaning out of the cab looking along the track (as locomotive drivers tend to do worldwide), when he heard a 'thud' just above his head, then a 'wheeeeee' sound above and just behind him.

He ducked, and hurriedly closed the cab windows!

Having found the evidence, and given driver a chance to calm down somewhat, we both went inside the station, and I waited while he contacted Train Control to tell him the news.  The driver hadn't seen anybody around the Te Mahia area at the time of the incident.

After about 15 minutes, in a somewhat calmer state, the Driver rejoined his train, and No.238 slowly moved off, with sand billowing all over the place at it regained its adhesion and  momentum.

The Guard was still in his 'van at this time  (remember, we had no R/T's and he couldn't contact us - he just had to wait), so, as he came past he was leaning out of the Guards van.  I yelled a quick precis to him as to what had happened. 

Now, it would be reasonable to think that that was the end of the matter Dear Reader, but no, it isn't.  There was another interesting development in this little saga, which was somewhat unexpected, and completely outside my experience.

BUT because  this episode of the 'Blog has already become much too long, that will have to wait for another time (and yes Moose, you have my sympathy  )

So, until then, Dear Reader's, thank you for taking the time to read this.  I hope you have found it of interest, and of course, until next time. . .

Happy modelling

Komata

"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "