The initial main rail connection between Sydney and Brisbane, opened in 1888, was via the Main North Line. This track from Sydney to Jennings on the NSW/QLD border was standard gauge and at Wallangarra, on the QLD side, changed to narrow gauge for the run into Brisbane, making Wallangarra/Jennings the Albury/Wodonga of the north.
In 1930, both a standard gauge North Coast Line extension north from Casino to Kyogle and on to the NSW/QLD border and standard gauge track layed by Queensland Railways from South Brisbane to the same location on the NSW/QLD boarder were officially opened, providing a through standard gauge link between Sydney and Brisbane, rendering the route via Wallangarra virtually redundant overnight. This new standard gauge route contains a spiral loop just south of the NSW/QLD border in order for the track to gain altitude with reasonable gradients to cross the Border Mountains Range. It is this section of track, between Kyogle and Glenapp passing loops, that is the subject of this presentation.
In this DVD-R, we follow trains travelling on both the ‘down’ and the ‘up’ as we move from Kyogle to Glenapp. Locomotive classes seen in action include AN, CLP/CLF, DL, G, LDP, NR, 48 and 81 class in the liveries of AN, ARG, National Rail, PacNat and QR National, and XPT from CountryLink. We physically walk the Border Loop spiral, tunnels and viaduct as well as the Border Tunnel and its former associated passing loop. Additionally we take a drive up the old Border Loop construction road, used back in the 1920s to construct the spiral.
Approximate run time: 89 minutes.