Re: off to Tocumal [NSW/Vic]

["Trevor Staats" <trevors@australis-retail.com>]

At Easter there were two container trains per day with the odd grain extra
(2 ran in the two weeks I was there) with a variety of motive power, H, X,
P, G, A in various combinations.  One train arrived early a.m. and left
around 11:00, the second arrived after 12 and departed around 5 or 6 p.m.

The station building still exists (in reasonable condition) with the BG and
SG lines both in place.  The exchange yards are still there in bits &
pieces, the cranes seem to have disappeared over the last 10 years.  The BG
turntable pit is there too, with the new abutments and overhauled pivot put
in place late 98 I think, and the SG turntable is still there and mostly
complete.  The old ash pits and loco servicing sidings are there, but very
little else remains there.  Other SG sidings are still there, I tried to
trace the track layout based on an old diagram once, bits and pieces are
still there in the grass.

The old railway store near the station has an operating HO model railway if
you include that in the railfan interest category as well.  The bridge on
the Murray of course is always interesting to have a look at, esp. the
machinery to hoist the deck up for the river boats.

At the Heritage Centre (just out of town towards Finley) a decrepit W class
(?) and a few old freight wagons are standing on a short piece of track in
the grounds.

If you are willing to explore, in the forest south of Toc, there are a
number of bridges that give reasonable photo opportunities once you get
tired of the Murray bridge, but the trees are quite thick and shadows can be
a problem.  The tracks in there are quite rough, 4WD recommended although a
normal vehicle can get in there if it's dry.

That's about it.

Cheers,
Trev.


James C <noemail@emailsux.com> wrote in message
news:39617052$0$16993$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...
> I'm going off to Tocumal on Thursday, how often does FA operate freight
> train to Tocumal? and is it still possible to see the SG/BG exchange
station
> at Tocumal?
>
> What other intresting things are there in Tocumal for a rail fan?
>
> Cheers
> James
>
>