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Re: RTM NSW Kandos Train 20/5 Report
It was either a foggy Penrith or sunny Lithgow to start with. Needless to
say on this occasion I chose the sun (have to get some sun in before heading
to Melbourne 8=) in a couple of days.)
--
Eric
http://www.erk.au.com/erktrans/
(new direct URL for my Transport site)
All cows on or near the running line need to
to have a Track Safety Awareness
Certificate and an approved safety
vest when on or near the line.
Ross (Goldie) Goldspink <goldicom@powerup.com.au> wrote in message
3927adc0@grissom">news:3927adc0@grissom...
| You let fig/mist put you off?
|
| Some of my best rail photos (B & W) have been in those conditions.
|
| Goldie
|
|
|
| Eric Cartman wrote in message <392683aa@news.iprimus.com.au>...
| >Today (20/5), 4201/44211 ran to Kandos on an NSWRTM tour. I thought I'd
| >give my car a run and go for a drive.......
| >
| >My original plan was to see the train crossed by the Central West XPT at
| >Penrith and then follow the train west. However, the centre of Penrith
was
| >very foggy so I gave that idea a miss and decided to get ahead of the XPT
| >and the Tour Train.
| >
| >Nothing of rail interest was seen in the mountains before my first photo
| >stop just west of Mt Victoria (on the Darling Causeway). I thought I
might
| >see some work trains as buses replaced CityRail trains between Mt Vic and
| >Lithgow. The only evidence of any work in the Mt Vic - Bell section
(apart
| >from me deciding where to stop) was the now traditional worksite
protection
| >fencing.
| >
| >After waiting half an hour (basically my head start on WT27), the XPT
| >appeared with the Sydney 2000 car trailing. I then had a good thought
about
| >the viaducts just west of Lithgow which became my next destination as I
| >jumped into the car. While driving along the Bells Line of Road, I
crossed
| >the main west line and saw WT27 again (obviously running under caution
due
| >to the trackwork).
| >
| >On arrival at the viaduct on the highway on the Bathurst bound side (near
| >Lithgow jail), I prepared myself for a short wait for WT27 which duly
| passed
| >by at higher speed than the last two times I'd seen it today, obviously
| >clear of the trackwork induced speed restrictions. After this, it was
time
| >to wait for the tour train (which would slower than WT27) in a new spot
| near
| >the Farmers Creek twin viaducts. Rather than have to contend with highway
| >traffic zooming past me for 30 or so minutes, I found a spot off the
| highway
| >with allowed views of the creek, the two viaducts and the train, which
| >arrived with both locos sounding great, 4201 leading.
| >
| >It was then time for me to head further west towards Kandos (unchartered
| >waters so to speak for me). I knew that I would beat the train because of
| >the state of some of the line and the open road ahead of me. Despite
this,
| I
| >almost found myself donating to the Lithgow Highway Patrol without even
| >realising whilst on the Mudgee Road (lucky I backed off when I saw him,
135
| >in a 100 zone would not have been good on the clean driving record!)
| >
| >Arrival at Kandos was right on lunchtime and I was disappointed to find
no
| >name plate at the station (the building was in relatively good condition
| but
| >the track was not. I could see excatvating occurring around approximately
| >every 3rd sleeper).
| >
| >Due to the surrounds of the station and the fact that it was on a curve
not
| >to my liking relative to the train (and the fact there is no runaround
| >facilities at the station), I had to decide on an alternative spot for
good
| >pics. I then found the approach to the Cement siding was a good spot next
| to
| >the disused turntable. The noise of the two locos soon disturbed the
| >country peace and quiet as the train approached the siding. A cast of (it
| >seemed in comparison to the people on the train) thousands clad in safety
| >vests left the train to shunt the train and run the locos around. I took
| >this as my cue to leave and try and find another spot, which I did just
| >before the station. I then asked the crew about the return journey,
| planning
| >a night shot at Penrith with some 800 speed (it was due at 2215).
| >
| >After several shots of the train reversing into the station, I thought it
| >was time to leave and head for home as the train was due to stay at
Kandos
| >until 5pm. After a nice comfortable drive home, I had planned to see and
| >photograph the train on arrival at Penrith at 2215. In what must be a
| first,
| >the train arrived around 30 minutes early as I was leaving home to drive
to
| >the station (I can hear freight trains but not passenger trains from my
| >house). A quick phone call to the station confirmed this.
| >
| >All in all, it was a good day passenger train gunzel wise. Full credit
must
| >go to the RTM for the presentation and the performance of the train (pics
| on
| >my website Monday!)
| >
| >
| >Eric
| >http://www.erk.au.com/erktrans/
| >(new direct URL for my Transport site)
| >
| >All cows on or near the running line need to
| >to have a Track Safety Awareness
| >Certificate and an approved safety
| >vest when on or near the line.
| >
| >
|
|