(As a side, the weekend also yielded new experiences for Privateer Oldmate of flying through thunderstorms, an aborted landing into Canberra on the return on Qantas Jet 737-400 VH-TJE, 'flaming' jet engines on the climb out of the aborted landing, a diversion to Melbourne and a return eventually into Canberra around 11pm on Sunday night...)
Anyway, rant over, lets look at some piccies. The focus of this series is on the plant and equipment on the car.
Here we start with an overshot of the end of the car resident at Swanbank Railway Museum.
Our good mate has been busy with the pressure cleaning to remove all the grease, grime and build up of general scum - looking good
Here we have a shot of the king castings of the FAM, which are associated with Commonwealth Type Bogies
Here the aircondition plant heat exchangers are mounted sub-floor.
More subfloor equipment - the triple valve and water filler valve.
An unusual feature still fitted to the FAM, but long since removed from most NSW aurora cars in operation is the water chiller unit for icy cold drinking water. Not sure how game you'd be to drink water out of the water tanks...
Small battery box.
Made under license from Budd in the USA!
The other end of the FAM.
Hot water for the showers comes from the one big water calorifier fitted sub floor. Again, subtle difference between the FAM and the aurora cars, which are fitted with two smaller calorifiers.
Another job for our FAM team is the airconditioning system, which is missing a few parts. Here we see the compressor motor has gone AWOL at some stage...
The important junction box on the "Sydney" end of the car.
Inside the car, unusual a/c controls and measuring equipment - I guess it was modern for the early '70s.
Another look at the main power board.
This is an unusual temperature measurer, kind of like a sketchograph (anyone born before 1977 will get the reference) combined with a 1950's high school science class.
The old a/c control equipment cupboard has been stripped bare
The car also has many wiring boards that have been slightly butchered, yet another fun and wonderful aspect to be resolved.
Obligatory corridor shot!
General shot of the gutted area that was being made into a crew area.
Here the walls were removed and a general shot of the area where they have been taken out
Did I mention that a/c equipment had been removed - where is the heat exchanger in the roof? Just gone...
Yep, definitely gone
and a general shot of the ducts that lead into the bedrooms (so, just to confirm, no a/c plant in the roof)
The FAMs, like the Indian Pacific Cars, once upon had a 'desto roll' to lable the cars A, B, C etc etc, but has since been removed and plated over. Here we see the internals of the old desto box.
... and the flap closed
Another wiring board to be fixed in the corridor.
When the car was being converted during the period of 1990-1991, the SRA blokes prepared a list of things to be done in each room - 18 years on, the list is still there, still to be finished!
So, just to confirm what car it is - FAM2386
... and yep, its a sleeping car.
Happy Privateering until next time.
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