my 18 month old grandson luv this to we watch this everyday, he loves watching the coal man putting coal in the engine, gransons say its hot , toot toots we have lots of fun toot tooting around.
Great footage taken there and audio sounds good too. It also shows us how much work is needed to keep all of this running. Will have to go up there for another trip very soon.
Im a volunteer member on the zig zag working usually in the school holidays and i know a bit about the history and just basic facts so for any questions just give us a comment on my home page
I travelled on the Zig Zag Railway in Lithgow a few years ago and I was fortunate enough to travel in the engine. I cant remember the name of the driver and fireman but it was a great experience.
The railway is actually a discarded section of main line track that was replaced with several tunnels to negotiate steep mountain terrain. It used viaducts and cuttings to climb up the side of the valley walls, instead of boring tunnels straight through the mountain. Hence the name "Zig Zag", as the track roughly forms the image of a "Z" in the face of the valley wall. It Zigs up one leg, and zags up the next, so to speak. The engine runs around the train half way up the hill
and therefore has to be running tender first for part of the journey. It is usually faces funnel first for the longest stretch of climbing track, from Top Points to Clarence.
Note also that for years the zig zag was just a dirt road and cars drove over ithe viaducts and through the short tunnel on the middle section. It was a huge amount of work to get this going agin as a railway. The line continues at the the top through a long tunnel to end at Clarence. The trains are running on 3 foot 6 inch gauge not the original standard gauge of NSW. The locos and carriages are mianlt if not all from Queensland, Even the signalling has been restored to correct function!
I made this video for my brother, who is the fireman featured. His 3 year old son refers to this video as "Daddy Train", and I scored big points from his mum too, as it keeps him amused and distracted for hours!
A wonderful record video of a wonderful train with plenty of scenes that gives an insight into the operations of this train/railway. Nice one pacnat007 .
It's true. There was a runaway that burst through the buffers at Top Points a bit over 100 years ago. The layout at this location was slightly different then, allowing the engine unit of the loco to hang over a sheer cliff. There is (or was until the bushfires) a picture of it hanging in Top Points signal box.
Clarence coal, which is mined just around the corner from the Zig Zag railway. It burns hot but has a high ash content, and needs to be closely monitored as fhe fire can burn out quickly. On engines without a self cleaning front end it fills the smokebox with ash quickly but all the Zig Zag engines are, thankfully, self cleaning.
i uses lithgow coal the lithgow coal burns the best for a steam train i dont know why but its an old mineing town.218a nearly came off the tracks so 1049 was on for the day 1047 will be built in 5 years about the garret is going to south australia and comes back in five years in a good condition 402.1046 will be in good condition in five years
luv this , can anyone tell me what is the big key he hands out at 4 .30 minutes.
peacetrain60 7 months ago
my 18 month old grandson luv this to we watch this everyday, he loves watching the coal man putting coal in the engine, gransons say its hot , toot toots we have lots of fun toot tooting around.
starmanoatlands 8 months ago
This is a great video - my 2-yr old loves it!
SouthernDrifters 2 years ago
iv been along the zig zag railway
powered by the 1072 (first train seen in colour)
it was awsome i would do anythin to do it again
lambofgod4eva93 2 years ago
I don't think the railmotor at top points is there anymore
ThroughWestMail 2 years ago
Yes that is true they put it in the sheds.
steamupboy 2 years ago
Great footage taken there and audio sounds good too. It also shows us how much work is needed to keep all of this running. Will have to go up there for another trip very soon.
ihaig72 2 years ago
Im a volunteer member on the zig zag working usually in the school holidays and i know a bit about the history and just basic facts so for any questions just give us a comment on my home page
deliski 2 years ago
Great production; love the audio and in-cab footage.
CSX6000 3 years ago
I travelled on the Zig Zag Railway in Lithgow a few years ago and I was fortunate enough to travel in the engine. I cant remember the name of the driver and fireman but it was a great experience.
spudbeau 3 years ago
Why was the engine on backwards? I find it kind of odd.
Baltimora1957 3 years ago
The railway is actually a discarded section of main line track that was replaced with several tunnels to negotiate steep mountain terrain. It used viaducts and cuttings to climb up the side of the valley walls, instead of boring tunnels straight through the mountain. Hence the name "Zig Zag", as the track roughly forms the image of a "Z" in the face of the valley wall. It Zigs up one leg, and zags up the next, so to speak. The engine runs around the train half way up the hill
pacnat007 3 years ago
and therefore has to be running tender first for part of the journey. It is usually faces funnel first for the longest stretch of climbing track, from Top Points to Clarence.
pacnat007 3 years ago
Note also that for years the zig zag was just a dirt road and cars drove over ithe viaducts and through the short tunnel on the middle section. It was a huge amount of work to get this going agin as a railway. The line continues at the the top through a long tunnel to end at Clarence. The trains are running on 3 foot 6 inch gauge not the original standard gauge of NSW. The locos and carriages are mianlt if not all from Queensland, Even the signalling has been restored to correct function!
fordlandau 3 years ago
@Baltimora1957 its easier to push rather than pulling...thts y
kunalkk222 1 year ago
My 19 month old loves trains, and loves to watch this video.
georgie302 3 years ago
I made this video for my brother, who is the fireman featured. His 3 year old son refers to this video as "Daddy Train", and I scored big points from his mum too, as it keeps him amused and distracted for hours!
pacnat007 3 years ago
A wonderful record video of a wonderful train with plenty of scenes that gives an insight into the operations of this train/railway. Nice one pacnat007 .
tandrewl 3 years ago
eDinkum can take you there to the Zig-Zag
AussieSong 4 years ago
A little birdy told me an engine bursted through the buffers at Bottom points. No one was hurt, it was a long time ago.
DarkTower97 4 years ago
It's true. There was a runaway that burst through the buffers at Top Points a bit over 100 years ago. The layout at this location was slightly different then, allowing the engine unit of the loco to hang over a sheer cliff. There is (or was until the bushfires) a picture of it hanging in Top Points signal box.
pacnat007 4 years ago
yes, I have that picture in a book. This is one marvelous railway and one marvelous loco indeed.
DarkTower97 4 years ago
Comment removed
Engineer5344 4 years ago 2
Come to Australia! Give me a call, I'll see what I can do about a ride in the cab of 1072...
fullnoize 4 years ago 2
Comment removed
Engineer5344 4 years ago 2
what kind of coal does 1072 burn?
Engineer5344 4 years ago 2
Clarence coal, which is mined just around the corner from the Zig Zag railway. It burns hot but has a high ash content, and needs to be closely monitored as fhe fire can burn out quickly. On engines without a self cleaning front end it fills the smokebox with ash quickly but all the Zig Zag engines are, thankfully, self cleaning.
pacnat007 4 years ago
Comment removed
Engineer5344 4 years ago
i uses lithgow coal the lithgow coal burns the best for a steam train i dont know why but its an old mineing town.218a nearly came off the tracks so 1049 was on for the day 1047 will be built in 5 years about the garret is going to south australia and comes back in five years in a good condition 402.1046 will be in good condition in five years
steamupboy 2 years ago
Comment removed
Engineer5344 4 years ago 2
what you need to do is become a member
steamupboy 2 years ago
Comment removed
Engineer5344 2 years ago
how steep are the grades on that railway
Engineer5344 4 years ago
1 in 42 for the majority of its length.
fullnoize 4 years ago
damn that fire is bright. good work there philly boy.
Engineer5344 4 years ago
Congratulations, it's good.
harburgs 4 years ago
Great Vidéo. Nothing like the sound and sight of a Steam loco. Thank you for sharing
livesteam 4 years ago
Good work Phillip
mattc17933 4 years ago
Hey great video, Driver Grantham really got stuck into her.
paul1089 4 years ago