Steam still on track.

**JDNSW** · 15th August 2010, 11:14 AM

Here is a photo taken near home this morning of a long steam train going (rather slowly) through Elong Elong.

John

**pop058** · 15th August 2010, 11:25 AM

good pic (beautifully framed by the bonnet of a Landy).

drifter · 15th August 2010, 11:59 AM

Fantastic!

I love the old steam trains - I was brought up in that era - I can still smell the special smell of the smoke on a fully stoked fire...

Magic

Thanks for sharing

**Lotz-A-Landies** · 15th August 2010, 11:59 AM

Thanks John

It's an indication of the infrastructure loss when the steam engine has to carry an additional water tender!

**JDNSW** · 15th August 2010, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Thanks John

It's an indication of the infrastructure loss when the steam engine has to carry an additional water tender!

The trip today from Dubbo to Dunedoo and return is a fundraiser for Westhaven in Dubbo. They had a spokesman on the radio on Friday (which is why I was able to be on the spot!), and he was commenting that there is now virtually no infrastructure to support steam west of the mountains. They had to hire a crane to load coal in Dubbo, for example!

John

**abaddonxi** · 15th August 2010, 01:05 PM

Was there a politician making speeches from the caboose?

**twitchy** · 15th August 2010, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Thanks John

It's an indication of the infrastructure loss when the steam engine has to carry an additional water tender!

Might have something to do with the fact that they haven't been on the line for how many years now??????????????????????

I do sure as hell miss the steamies, still remember sitting in the cab as a small boy with Dad & enjoying warmth in Lithgow in winter....lol.

**Bigbjorn** · 15th August 2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by twitchy

Might have something to do with the fact that they haven't been on the line for how many years now??????????????????????

I do sure as hell miss the steamies, still remember sitting in the cab as a small boy with Dad & enjoying warmth in Lithgow in winter....lol.

If NSW steam infrastructure is mostly gone, spare a thought for steam enthusiasts in Queensland. The backward NSW system persisted with steam long after all others. Queensland was the first system to abandon steam. Friends who are involved with the steam group in Qld. tell me that taking along water tanks is mandatory as much locally sourced water is unsuitable for boiler use without treatment.

**Mick-Kelly** · 15th August 2010, 03:34 PM

two of my favorite things in one photo, well done.

**JDNSW** · 15th August 2010, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

If NSW steam infrastructure is mostly gone, spare a thought for steam enthusiasts in Queensland. The backward NSW system persisted with steam long after all others. .......

Depends which part of the system you are talking about - for example, the Sydney area was completely electric with some long distance services diesel in 1960 - I remember when I first came to Brisbane in 1962 all suburban services were steam. Brisbane finally introduced electric trains about fifty years after Sydney - which had the advantage that they were able to use a high voltage AC system instead of the DC system used in NSW and Victoria, whose standards date from the end of the nineteenth century.

But it is quite possible that some steam services continued in NSW west of the mountains after Qld had gone completely over to diesel. This may have been because the 60 class Garrets not only outpulled any available diesels, but unlike the heavy diesels could operate on any line in the system, even the lightly built and poorly ballasted developmental lines. This problem has now been solved by closing most of those lines!

John

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