The presentations Crossing the Blue Mountains and The Main West Line - Part 1 covered action on the tracks of the Main Western Line between Penrith to Lithgow and Lithgow to Orange respectively. This presentation, The Main West Line - Part 2, details operations on that section of line between Orange and Dubbo.
The Main West Line had reached Orange by 1877. By 1880 it had been extended to Wellington, and less than a year later, reached Dubbo in 1881. (The line would ultimately reach Bourke in 1885, but this, and some of the associated branch lines, will be detailed in Main West Line - Part 3). Between Orange and Dubbo, this single track line operates under the Train Order radio system, with passing loops available at Stuart Town, Wellington, Combo, Geurie, and Wongarbon. It features 6 significant 1/40 rising gradients in the down direction, between Wellington and Orange. These represent quite a challenge to loaded trains heading east.
There was planned, back in 1925, to be a triangular type junction off the Main West Line at Maryvale (located between Wellington and CCombo) which would provide a more direct connection (via Gulgong, Ulan, Sandy Hollow and Muswellbrook) to Newcastle. After years of government procrastination dating back to 1926 and a number of false starts (in 1940s caused by World War II and in 1950s caused by funding shortages) most of the earth works were completed, but rails were only ever laid as far west as Gulgong in the early 1980s. Plans for the Gulgong-Maryvale section were then abandoned, and all that now remains is the earthwork formations which we will view at Maryvale from the cab of a loaded grain train.
We start our journey at Orange and view both passenger and freight trains on both the ‘up’ and ‘down’ as we work our way west to Dubbo. Locomotive types seen in action include BL, C, EL, G, GL, HL (422), KL (49), T, X, 442, 48, 81 and XPT. There are six cab rides, including one past the abandoned triangular Maryvale Junction formation.
Approximate run time: 58 minutes.