Hunter 5 - Ulan coal trains

The Ulan coal mine is approximately 160 kms west of Muswellbrook NSW and is served by an A-grade railway that goes on to Gulgong and points west to rejoin the main network near Dubbo. Trains constantly shuttle back and forth on this line taking coal to Port Waratah near Newcastle and returning empty. Most trains are approximately 8-10,000 tonnes, hauled by three 90-class locos. In January 2005 I happened to follow a lighter and shorter train hauled by two 82-class locos through the lush countryside from Bengalla near Muswellbrook, through Sandy Hollow, where the train passed a longer loaded train in the loop, to Kerrabee, where another train waited in the loop, and thence through the wilderness and rough roads of the Wollemi National Park to Ulan. The day before I had filmed the same train at the mine, then heading back east loaded. This line has since had centralized train control installed and another passing loop, thus hopefully lessening the bottle-neck effect of trains having to stop and wait every hour or so.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• NSW
• Australia
• Hunter
• Valley
• coal
• trains
• Ulan

[TrainSpotterX]

It was an ok video mate !

[clclclcl2000]

Rough roads is an understatement! But very scenic country to travel through.

[Scrige]

Nice video