On February 12, 2012 KiwiRail's track maintenance teams from Palmerston North embarked on a mission to run a ballast cleaning operation over a section of track on the North Island Main Trunk at Otaki.
The equipment list in use on this day was impressive...
One Ballast Cleaner, six Conveyor Wagons, one Tamper, one Regulator, one Stabilizer, one DC Locomotive, four support wagons, excavators, dump trucks and all the manpower necessary to achieve the task.
As soon as the last train went through (northbound Overlander), the work crews sprung into action. Soon after the air was heavy with the sound of ballast being moved under huge mechanical force.
Witnessing all this machinery in action is a rare treat, and to time it with a pleasant Sunday afternoon from many vantage points was an added bonus.
This program shows all the equipment in use, how it works and how each has an important role to play. Multiple angles provide rare glimpses of this machinery in motion.
Videography, Editing and Stills: Erin Johnson
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