Steam Train

[d2dave]

The rear boundary of my place is a railway line. It would be about 150 metres from my house.
It is a freight only line which sees about four trains a week.

On odd occasions we get a passenger train, just for tourism purposes.

Last Saturday this went past.







On the right is my back fence.

[Tins]

some people get all the luck.

[d2dave]

some people get all the luck.

Yes I have to admit, being a train buff it is really nice when a steamer goes past my back door.

Even when the modern freight trains go past I usually go down and watch them.

SWMBO does not understand this and reckons that the train drivers must think that I am a window licker.

[Tins]

Yes I have to admit, being a train buff it is really nice when a steamer goes past my back door.

Even when the modern freight trains go past I usually go down and watch them.

SWMBO does not understand this and reckons that the train drivers must think that I am a window licker.

There's something about trains, isn't there? But a proper steam loco trumps anything else. The best I can hope for here is Puffing Billy, and the NIMBY mob have stopped his cheerful whistle. Good thing there are several level crossings, or we'd never hear him at all.

[d2dave]

There's something about trains, isn't there? But a proper steam loco trumps anything else. The best I can hope for here is Puffing Billy, and the NIMBY mob have stopped his cheerful whistle. Good thing there are several level crossings, or we'd never hear him at all.

I can't believe that people would not want to hear a steam whistle.

What makes my place great is the location of a level crossing.

In the direction of the second pic there is a crossing on a fairly major road, about 100 metres from my place.

It is right at my place where they let the horn rip. Even the diesel freight train horns, I love it.

Some times when cars run the gauntlet at the crossing the train driver really lets hangs on it.

[V8Ian]

Yes I have to admit, being a train buff it is really nice when a steamer goes past my back door.

Even when the modern freight trains go past I usually go down and watch them.

SWMBO does not understand this and reckons that the train drivers must think that I am a window licker.

Not you Dave, window lickers drive Scanias, not blokey Western Stars.

[d2dave]

Ian, I could be a window licker tomorrow. I have tossed in the interstate.

I start a new job to tomorrow driving grain tippers. I have no idea what I will be driving.

[drivesafe]

Hi Dave, and very jealous of you backyard location.


If you like listening to loco horns, there is a yank railroad recording, made in 1969, ( but is still available on CD ) and is one of the best train recordings ever made. ( Correction, it was apparently recorded in 1963 )


It’s called “Mr Ds Machines”


It’s mostly around Tehachapi Loop in California.


It has some incredible stereo tracks and a couple of tracks where trains are passing on the loop, and they pass twice, and they get into some great whistle duels.

[Wraithe]

Ian, I could be a window licker tomorrow. I have tossed in the interstate.

I start a new job to tomorrow driving grain tippers. I have no idea what I will be driving.

What sort of grain truck set ups, do they run in Vic??

I gave away work last year, and the last 2 years, was grain mostly... Farm to bin, bin transfers and bin to port... Good job for this oldy, easy work, only go round and round and round and sometimes we go round again...

Some drivers even have to drive Ford/Stirling/Cat trucks... It gets very confusing when they upgrade..


PS, Love the R class, Vic railways had some nice locos and gauge variations too...