Geelong-Ballarat Line - extra power for a stalled train

[miyakoji]

Here's an interesting scene uploaded by Schony747.  A grain train stalls on a 1.9% grade and a pair of mid '60s engines, 1810hp X31 and maybe 950hp T376 come to the rescue.  They fight the good fight and get the formation moving.  Sanders are mentioned in the description; I don't understand if this was a power or adhesion problem.  The two G class engines produce 3800hp each in their rebuilt form, resulting in 76,000 pounds of starting effort.  The force on some of the couplers must be tremendous, what does it take to break a knuckle?

 

The grade is the Warrenheip Bank.  Warrenheip is immediately east of Ballarat, the setting of Dr. Blake Mysteries :).  https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.5761474,143.9158802,15z

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geelong–Ballarat_railway_line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Railways_X_class_(diesel)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_Railways_T_class

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V/Line_G_class

 

Mark please feel free to correct any errors here 🙂