Railway Digest Magazine April 2019 Back Issue

Central West NSW: New loops, signalling and platform
In recent years a resurgence in intrastate freight business, especially port-related container services and additional passenger services, has led to an increase in rail activity on the NSW Western Line. As John Hoyle reports, this has led to the installation of loops at Rydal and Georges Plains, and follow-on signals at Wimbledon. Another change to Central West NSW rail infrastructure is the provision of a new platform at Millthorpe, located between Blayney and Orange, and soon to benefit from an additional daily passenger service.

From D to DR
Phil Melling gives us a brief, well-illustrated history of two interesting locomotives that were originally built for the Western Australian Government Railways, later rebuilt in New Zealand for use in Tasmania, then finally returned to Western Australia.

Brisbane to the Border: South East Queensland standard gauge
The 111-kilometre standard-gauge line in southeast Queensland, lying between Brisbane and the Queensland/NSW border, has never been high on the list for railfans. Compared to its southern states counterparts, it carries fewer trains, has less motive power variety, fewer operators and the majority of traffic runs after dark. However, as Mike Martin explains, the last 25 years have seen a number of developments on this stretch of track that merit attention.

North Tassie trampings
In February this year, Malcolm Holdsworth decided it was time to check out some of TasRail’s interesting regular operations in the scenic surrounds of northern Tasmania, including the Railton-Burnie cement shuttle, the Fingal coalie, the Melba line ore trains and No.31 Paper Train.

The first train drivers
Greta Britain was the home of the steam-powered railway, and in the early days the enginemen – many of whom operated as contractors – had a tough, unrelenting job to do. Former driver and union representative, Frank J Hussey takes a look at those ‘good old days’!