Was there on Saturday (38 class chasing, of course!) and spent several
hours at Thornton, the next station DOWN or north-west of Beresfield.
Two coalies went through in that time - providing the unique opportunity
to photograph 90s on DOWN coal trains on the UP main! We saw two such
trains. Whilst at Beresfield before all of this, we saw a couple of UP
coal trains with 82s on the point.
Before all this, we spotted some NRs on a Sydney bound freight at Awaba
(UP or south of the crash), hinting that they'd passed through the crash
site.
The down and up XPTs and Xplorers also passed through, as did the steam
train (with 3830 running with van past the crash site on the Friday,
3801 + 4833 taking the DOWN train to Maitland and 3830+3801 heading home
with 4833 on the rear like a cumbersome guard's van).
The scanner reported that there was a 20km/h limit around the platform
and the engineers (of the civil kind!) talked the crews around the crash
site.
During this time, 3 x 90s waited for the road on the UP coal road, just
before the Thornton crossover.
Before all of the above, 2 48s tried to pull the last 'intact' hopper
from the front train from the wreck - they were digging holes in the
track but eventually the hopper pulled clear and proceeded to
Broadmeadow or whereever at 15 km/h. Similarly, 2 90s (yes, 90s!) hauled
the last 'intact' hopper from the read of the wreck.
An 81 class was shunted into the steggles siding at Beresfield (which
joins with the DOWN COAL ROAD) with the 'breakdown train' as it was
called over the scanner: 2 stainless steel cars and a power van. It was
running occasional shuttles between Beresfield and Thornton.
Hope that helps.
Glenn.