Roto

[Woodie]

Some pics of a recent trip out western New SOuth Wales.

Roto is a place (not a town) 706kms from Sydney (14hrs down the track), on the main national east/west standard guage line.
At the junction of the Broken Hill Line and the Roto Line

A National Rail Freight speeds through Roto.

 

[Woodie]

National Rail at Roto

These loco's are available in HO. (I don't have one yet. They're too long for my curves!!!)

 

[Woodie]

It's very flat and straight out there.

 

[Woodie]

Water Tank

The water tank and storage, originally built in 1919.

 

[Woodie]

The Road

The road that follows the rail line, for many thousands of kilometres, pretty much from one side of the country to the other.
The road is littered with dead kangaroos. Hundreds of tonnes of train can't stop when roos are on the tracks.

 

[rich maiorano]

you have to watch out for them roos I seen your land trains to down there and there roo bars on them I drive a tractor trailer for a living and them guys are nuts rich

 

[Woodie]

Diogenes Datsun

BTW, Diogenes Datsun, (the white one in the pics) is no more. I recently sold it to a friend, who, 6 weeks after I sold it to him, fell asleep at the wheel and ran off the road. Wrote it off. He wasn't hurt except for a few bruises.

 

[Bob Collins]

Woodie;

Is this then the line that the Indian Pacific travels? I have read about Broken Hill somewhere, possibly in Bryson's book. When you say standard gauge are we talking 4' 81/2" or 5 foot?

Who is the other Aussie who has come up on the net recently besides triman?

Bob

 

[Woodie]

Bob,
Yep. That is the line travelled by the Indian Pacific. The spot is about 2 hrs west of Euabalong West. The IP passes this spot at about 4am westbound, and around 8pm eastbound. (pretty much in the dark). However, a daylight service from Sydney to Broken Hill has now been introduced, which has the whole trip in daylight, both ways. ($220 AUS ($110 US) return 1st class).

It is "Standard Guage" (4' 8 1/2").

Sempak is the other Aussie. Refer Diode thread in the tech section.

A pic of Euabalong West.

 

[Woodie]

Broken Hill service

Sydney Moring Herald, on the new service here

The Countrylink Xplorer train, that will run the daytime service. (14 hr journey, faster than the Indian Pacific, 16hrs)

The original "Comet" (referred to in the SMH article)

 

[Bob Collins]

Hi Woodie;

Really great pix. Sure makes me anxious to be there. Heck, a year from now and I'll aready be home chatting with you about all the great experiences we had along the way.

I do think I'll not put Euabalong West on my list of places to be sure to visit!!

Bob

 

[Vic]

Thanks for the tour Woodie...I enjoyed it Noticed that many parts of the country look just like South Georgia (USA) even down to the "red dirt"

 

[rockislandmike]

Kewl stuff, Woodie. BTW, a couple of train-related shows here in North America featured The Ghan on the weekend..........

 

[Woodie]

The Ghan goes trundling past this point as well. Except every alternating departure, which leaves from Melbourne. But don't get it confused with the Indian Pacific! Same trains really. They just stick a different sign up. Just don't get a ticket for Monday and turn up in Sydney, cause it leaves from Melbourne (1000 kms away)!!, and don't get on the wrong one in Sydney. cause Tuesdays it turns right, and goes to Alice Springs, but on Wednesday it goes straight on and ends up in Perth. But if you wanna go from Perth to Melbourne, don't catch it Fridays, cause you'll end up in Sydney. Only do that on Sundays & Thursdays. Get on The Ghan in Alice Springs on a Sunday, only if you wanna go to Melbourne. The Sydney one leaves Wednesdays. Also, Don't try and catch it from Melbourne on Saturdays, cause it only goes as far as Adelaide, then you've gotta wait til Monday to pick up the one from Sydney, but that one goes to Perth, I think. Fridays are usually a good day. You can catch any of them to go anywhere from Adelaide.

It goes something like that anyway!

 

[rich maiorano]

I'll take the plane to to take the train rich

 

[shamus]

Nice photo's Woodie, I get the feeling of a wide open space, love it.

Shamus