very impressive train,i count about 30 wagons with only one locomotive ahead.

When rostered I used to be part the engine crew on the IP between Sydney & Parkes , We used to have Electric loco's Sydney to Lithgow then change to Diesel's for the rest of the trip ,now its Diesel's all the way . No car carrier these days out of Sydney but there could be from Adelaide west to Perth . Over 10 years since I worked in that depot & things have changed . When the native flowers are in season [August to late September ] the train is usually built up to a double consist with 2 power cars supplying electricity to A/C & kitchens etc . When a double consist the train had to be split onto 2 platforms for passenger loading which made for some interesting shunting taking up most of the yard neck before departure . A few times when on other trains we had to wait for the IP when on single track & occasionally would see the chefs with a large paper bag hanging out the kitchen door ready to drop off some goodies for our dinner , all nice & fresh instead of the day old sandwiches etc which you would have carried from home a day before for the return trip .


Cheers Tom in Oz .

Tom have you ever heard of a place called Kaleentha Loop ?

here is a paymaster carriage around the 1960's or is it an early Märklin bent carriage ?

Tom, have to disappoint you, its not a cable but the picture had been at one stage been folded. and an old FJ Holden, it was the Ganger's car.
We used to go in this car for a drink into Menindee and came back late at night, finished up with a flat tyre and tried to walk back to the camp, half an hour later, some one spotted another car before we've realized we were walking in a circle but I remember there were enough experts in the party who said what to do, how to take the right directions in the dark; we've finished up camping there, lit a fire and drank all the grog we've bought with us.

John