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Gwiwer

By Gwiwer,
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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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Something else announced late last year but completely overshadowed by the fires was the new trains to replace the XPT and Xplorer will be bi-mode. Running off the overhead will save a considerable amount of fuel and reduce journey times to the north and west, not so much to the south where the pantographs would be lowered at Campbelltown.

 

Cheers

David

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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With South Australia and Northern Territory closing the borders, The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Overland have been suspended until at least 31 May.

 

Queensland has just announced it is closing its border from Wednesday so the Brisbane XPT is likely to be cut back to Casino.

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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Big cuts in Queensland now.

 

Tourist services (Kuranda, Gulflander and Savannahlander) were suspended last week under the non-essential gathering rules.

 

Effective today, the Spirit of the Outback, Westlander and Inlander are suspended until further notice with road coach replacement. This could be the final nail for the Westlander and Inlander.

 

The Rockhampton and Bundaberg tilt trains are reduced to 4 services per week and Spirit of Queensland reduced to 3 services per week in each direction. The number of passengers being booked has been reduced to maintain social distancing.

 

 

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faulcon1

faulcon1

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Many modern era videos in Australia tend to be in or near to major population areas which is to be expected with Australia being such a vast country. But there are some who are prepared to go out to the outback to capture modern trains in action. The Trans Australian Railway is a vital and busy rail corridor and one place where trains have it over trucks and even road trains. The trains in this video blow their air horns but I assume it's done as a greeting to the man taking the video simply because it's rare to find a lone person quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

Most freight trains have a passenger coach in the consist for the crews, yes crews as there are more than one crew per train. Some have fuel as well enabling the locos to "drink" on the move. Other than the odd railway settlement there is nothing out there and very few people.

 

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faulcon1

faulcon1

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Here's another modern video of a cab ride in a SSR or Southern Short Haul Railroad. The man who took the video is lucky for the driver of this train is his son. There is a good explanation given as to what all the computer screens tell. The run is a coal run from Airly Colliery down through the Blue Mountains. I wonder if the dad likes his son's choice in music. Possibly not.

 

 

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DavidB-AU

DavidB-AU

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The new Avon River bridge at Stratford has been commissioned. The new bridge is on a slightly gentler curve allowing speeds of 90 km/h, which is a substantial improvement on the 10 km/h limit on the 1888 bridge. Services have been suspended several times in the last 30-odd years due to the condition of the old bridge and many feared this would lead to permanent closure of the line beyond Sale. Fortunately the old bridge has been heritage listed so it will not be demolished.

 

https://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/story/7043957/first-train-over-the-avon-river-rail-bridge/

https://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/story/7053990/avon-river-rail-bridge-operational/

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monkeysarefun

monkeysarefun

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6 hours ago, 69843 said:

Quite the big derailment on the Illawarra Escarpment yesterday morning. 39 out of about 41 wagons off, fortunately locomotives stayed upright and crew are uninjured.

Plenty of diversions incoming.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-15/freight-train-derails-in-farmborough-heights-nsw/12984518

What a mushy mess that'll be with this rain!

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faulcon1

faulcon1

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For those of you who enjoy a cab ride well here's a cab ride on one of four C class locos hauling a wheat train from Gilgandra in north west of NSW. However we join the train at Rhodes and after crossing of the Parramatta River we then commence to climb the steep 1 in 40 grade to Hornsby. From there it's a fairly level run to Cowan where the cab ride ends. The driver on this loco gives a superb running commentary of how trains such as this are worked.

 

 

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faulcon1

faulcon1

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Here's another video from TfNSW from Paramatta to Katoomba. A bit misty to begin with but it brightens up once we climb into the blue mountains. I live and work in blue mountains and my work is from Glenbrook to Wentworth Falls and I live somewhere in the middle. I've lived in the mountains since the early 1980's. For those overseas believe it or not this was filmed in mid July or the middle of winter. Most trees are eucalyptus and evergreens or as I call them the plant world's version of an incinerator. These trees are the ones that explode into flame when we have a bush fire for their leaves are full of eucalyptus oil. The blue mountains gets it's name from these trees for in the defused light from a distance the mountains look blue and that's all the oil rising from the trees into the atmosphere. 

The ruling gradient from Penrith to Valley Heights is 1 in 60 and the ruling gradient from Valley Heights to Katoomba is 1 in 33. Just past Wentworth Falls is Wentworth Falls Lake (not visible from the cab) a man made lake for it supplied water to Valley Heights Loco depot in the days of steam. A pipe ran down the northern side of the line (right side from the cab) to Lawson where there were water tanks. The water tanks are still there today but have been repurposed and are now part of the Lawson Bowling club, lawn bowls that is. From Lawson the pipe dove under the lines and ran down the southern side (left side from the cab) to Valley Heights loco depot. Steam finished working over the mountains in 1957 with the completion of electrification which is 1,500v dc and still is today. Only the V sets (which is cab ride is done from) are the only ones to use the overhead wire with all other trains being diesel.  An exterior shot of a V set can be seen as we approach Katoomba. V sets as can be seen are double deck trains as are all the electric  trains on the Sydney network and fully air conditioned. Smoking is no longer allowed on any trains or station platforms. On arriving at Katoomba to the right can be seen a slab of concrete on the relief line, that's all that remains from the one time level crossing the road traffic now enters Katoomba via the road over bridge at the western end of the station where the cab ride ends.  

 

 

 

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faulcon1

faulcon1

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Here's another blue mountains video again from a V set but from Mount Victoria to Penrith. Mount Victoria station is quite large and at one time had railway refreshment rooms. Next station is Blackheath renamed from Bleakheath and the highest village in the mountains. Next is Medlow Bath and to the right as we stop at the station is the Hydro Majestic Hotel. Originally built as a health spa resort by the one time Sydney department store Mark Foys. He imported a Dr Fritz Bauer from Germany and he ran the place with Teutonic efficiency where there was no sex, no smoking, no drinking of any type of alcoholic beverages and all lights out by 10pm. Later the it would have been more appropriate to name the place the Honeymoon Majestic with sex allowed along with smoking, drinking a myriad of alcoholic beverages and lights on all night. 

Next is Katoomba and the line down the steep gradient to Penrith with constant brake applications on the 1 in 33 grade. At 32.10 we can see Wentworth Falls Lake the man made lake built to supply water for the steam engines at Valley Heights Locomotive Depot

 

 

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monkeysarefun

monkeysarefun

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9 hours ago, faulcon1 said:

Here's another blue mountains video again from a V set but from Mount Victoria to Penrith. Mount Victoria station is quite large and at one time had railway refreshment rooms. Next station is Blackheath renamed from Bleakheath and the highest village in the mountains. Next is Medlow Bath and to the righ as we stop at the station is the Hydro Majestic Hotel. Originally built as a health spa resort by the one time Sydney department store Mark Foys. He imported a Dr Fritz Bauer from Germany and he ran the place with Teutonic efficiency where there was no sex, no smoking, no drinking of any type of alcoholic beverages and all lights out by 10pm. Later the it would have been more appropriate to name the place the Honeymoon Majestic with sex allowed along with smoking, drinking a myriad of alcoholic beverages and lights on all night. 

Next is Katoomba and the line down the steep gradient to Penrith with constant brake applications on the 1 in 33 grade. At 32.10 we can see Wentworth Falls Lake the man made built to supply water for the steam engines at Valley Heights Locomotive Depot

 

 

Is the line still shut? I work at RAAF Glenbrook and turning right into the base has been a bit of an issue the last couple of weeks with the extra traffic coming down the hill.. I guess the last couple of days extra rain wont have helped.

 

Pity the camera wasnt a bit more widescreen to capture Glenbrook gorge, thats a spectacular bit of scenery that the line hugs around the 31 minute mark.  

 

 

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