Keith Smith (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Keith Archibald Smith, OBE
, AM, MIE Aust, FCIT, (4 May 1915 – 16 July 2011) was Chief Mechanical Engineer, and later Commissioner, for the Commonwealth Railways
of Australia, which operates mostly in remote and desolate areas railways for the Federal Government.
Before joining the Commonwealth Railways, Keith Smith graduated with honours from Sydney University and was a locomotive designing and test engineer with the New South Wales Government Railways. During WW2, he worked in Chullora Railway Workshops supervising the production of war materials including the cruiser tank, bren gun carrier and Beaufighter aircraft projects. He was closely associated with the design of the Class 38 pacific type locomotive.
In 1948, Keith Smith joined the Tasmanian Government Railways as Production Engineer. In 1950, he joined the Commonwealth Railways, Port Augusta, SA, as Chief Mechanical Engineer. As well as his Mechanical Branch responsibilities, in the role of Acting Chief Civil Engineer, he also supervised the construction of the standard gauge line from Stirling North, SA, to the Leigh Creek, SA, coal fields. This project also involved the creation of the pick-a-back scheme whereby two complete narrow gauge coal consists were transported on a standard gauge rake of flat cars.
Under his stewardship, 1,000 km of new railway to Alice Springs were built, completed in 1980 and 1,420 km of further extension to Darwin
were surveyed.
He introduced concrete sleepers and long welded rail to the Commonwealth Railways. He also had much of the North Australia Railway narrow gauge system rebuilt in the 1960s for the iron ore traffic. This work included the complete replacement of all the workshop facilities, much of the housing and office facilities. He had the Trans Australia line rebuilt to modern standards and a new standard gauge line constructed between Port Augusta and Whyalla in 1972.
Keith Smith also managed the transition from steam to diesel traction in the 1950s and also the accompanying modern air-conditioned rolling stock. This was followed by the introduction of a modern fleet of large capacity freight rollingstock. Triple deck sheep carriers could accommodate 600 sheep. Other large types of rollingstock were 21 000 gallon tank cars and 75 foot boxcars.
Keith Smith was a key executive in the creation of the Indian Pacific standard gauge line from the east coast of Australia to the West coast. He supervised the standardization of key sections of the former South Australian Railways.
He supervised the transition of the Commonwealth Railways to the Australian National Railways that incorporated the former South Australian
and Tasmanian Government Railways
. Keith Smith was the longest serving Commissioner of the CR, before becoming the first Chairman of Commissioners of the ANR, retiring in that position in 1981.
He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
in 1970. He died in Encounter Bay, South Australia, on 16 July 2011, aged 96.
By comparison, the Rollbock system of transporter train
required that the wagons be loaded one at a time. It is not known what speed the piggyback train could achieve, but it is noted that the standard gauge line was brand new with gentle curves and gradients. The term "piggy-back" referred to road freight vehicles loaded on rail flat cars.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, AM, MIE Aust, FCIT, (4 May 1915 – 16 July 2011) was Chief Mechanical Engineer, and later Commissioner, for the Commonwealth Railways
Commonwealth Railways
The Commonwealth Railways were established in 1912, as part of a government department, currently called the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, by the Government of Australia to construct the missing link in the east-west transcontinental railway and...
of Australia, which operates mostly in remote and desolate areas railways for the Federal Government.
Before joining the Commonwealth Railways, Keith Smith graduated with honours from Sydney University and was a locomotive designing and test engineer with the New South Wales Government Railways. During WW2, he worked in Chullora Railway Workshops supervising the production of war materials including the cruiser tank, bren gun carrier and Beaufighter aircraft projects. He was closely associated with the design of the Class 38 pacific type locomotive.
In 1948, Keith Smith joined the Tasmanian Government Railways as Production Engineer. In 1950, he joined the Commonwealth Railways, Port Augusta, SA, as Chief Mechanical Engineer. As well as his Mechanical Branch responsibilities, in the role of Acting Chief Civil Engineer, he also supervised the construction of the standard gauge line from Stirling North, SA, to the Leigh Creek, SA, coal fields. This project also involved the creation of the pick-a-back scheme whereby two complete narrow gauge coal consists were transported on a standard gauge rake of flat cars.
Under his stewardship, 1,000 km of new railway to Alice Springs were built, completed in 1980 and 1,420 km of further extension to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
were surveyed.
He introduced concrete sleepers and long welded rail to the Commonwealth Railways. He also had much of the North Australia Railway narrow gauge system rebuilt in the 1960s for the iron ore traffic. This work included the complete replacement of all the workshop facilities, much of the housing and office facilities. He had the Trans Australia line rebuilt to modern standards and a new standard gauge line constructed between Port Augusta and Whyalla in 1972.
Keith Smith also managed the transition from steam to diesel traction in the 1950s and also the accompanying modern air-conditioned rolling stock. This was followed by the introduction of a modern fleet of large capacity freight rollingstock. Triple deck sheep carriers could accommodate 600 sheep. Other large types of rollingstock were 21 000 gallon tank cars and 75 foot boxcars.
Keith Smith was a key executive in the creation of the Indian Pacific standard gauge line from the east coast of Australia to the West coast. He supervised the standardization of key sections of the former South Australian Railways.
He supervised the transition of the Commonwealth Railways to the Australian National Railways that incorporated the former South Australian
South Australian Railways
South Australian Railways built and operated railways in South Australia from 1854 to the incorporation of its non-urban railways into the Australian National Railways Commission in 1975, together with the former Commonwealth Railways and the former Tasmanian Government Railways...
and Tasmanian Government Railways
Tasmanian Government Railways
The Tasmanian Government Railways was the former Government of Tasmania managed operator of mainline railways in Tasmania, Australia...
. Keith Smith was the longest serving Commissioner of the CR, before becoming the first Chairman of Commissioners of the ANR, retiring in that position in 1981.
He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1970. He died in Encounter Bay, South Australia, on 16 July 2011, aged 96.
Piggyback by the Trainload
One of Smith's more notable achievements was the expeditious introduction of a standard gauge pick-a-back consist to bypass a section of narrow gauge railway (Central Australia Railway) that was regularly washed away by floods. This pick-a-back consist transported a complete narrow gauge coal train by means of a narrow gauge track laid on the top of a rake of standard gauge flat cars.By comparison, the Rollbock system of transporter train
Transporter wagon
A transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
required that the wagons be loaded one at a time. It is not known what speed the piggyback train could achieve, but it is noted that the standard gauge line was brand new with gentle curves and gradients. The term "piggy-back" referred to road freight vehicles loaded on rail flat cars.
See also
- Transporter wagonTransporter wagonA transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
- Railway TransportationRailway TransportationRailway Transportation was an Australian magazine published by Shennan Publications between 1951 and 1972. It came out monthly....
August 1957, "Unique Piggy-back Operations at Stirling North". - AutobiographyAutobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
- Piggy-back
Maps
- Stirling North - start of piggyback operation and power station
- Parachilna - end of piggyback operation
- Beltana
- Leigh Creek - coal mines