Re: NR Freight on Main West last night

["< Tell >" <telljb@netozemail.com.au>]

Stir mode OFF:

The Blue Mountains are pretty tough by any standard,
certainly in Australia.  Yes, good to see NRC using the
available resources to the max.

Actually what initiated my little outburst was the
bundle of old Trains magazines I happened over while
rummaging around in my shed, I had forgotten them.  

A 1963 edition had a photo essay on the D&RGW standard
gauge back in 1954 and their massive 2-8-8-2 3600 class
which were hauling heavy block fruit trains up miles of
2 and 3 percent grades to reach the summit of Tennessee
Pass some 10,221 feet above sea level, just awesome.

The same issue had a NYC freight with 7 Alco's, five on
the front and two at the rear with a 200, yes 200 car
general merchandise freight climbing uphill through
twisting hilly terrain.  Almost defies the mind.!

Whatever we might think of the Yanks, they took heavy
freight rail haul to the absolute maximum, still do.
Anything elsewhere in the World, just pales into
insignificance, Aussie Pilbara excepted.
  
....Tell


>"Paul Jones" <dj_nightshade@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> The longest train i ever saw cross the mountians previously was a 46 car
> empty coal. That freight train looked like it was one of thoes 1300m ones.
> forgot to count how many cars it was. I thought that if they were too big,
> they would fall off on some of the tight, steep corners.
> 
> But yes, it is good to see decent sized trains nowdays. (And yes, i have
> been to Alice springs lately...)
> 
> 
> ------
> Paul Jones
>