THE LONGEST COAL TRAIN IN THE WORLD?

 

It takes a lot of patience to be a trainspotter in this part of the outback, especially when there is only the one train a day, well okay two if you include the return journey around four hours later. There is no strict timetable as such, but you just know that out of summer the train will usually pass through sometime between the hours of lunch and tea. During the scorching hot summer months the timetable is changed to reduce the risk of the train being derailed, it's a time of the year when the lines get so hot they can quite easily buckle in the heat. Out here in this arid land, the mercury can fall off the end of the scale, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees centigrade or more. During these summer months the train, so I am told, passes through sometime between 11pm and the early hours of the morning. I for one have never heard the train at this ungodly hour let alone seen it.  

So here we are, it’s one o’clock in the afternoon, just the two of us here in the Land Rover, patiently waiting, waiting, and waiting for the train. Well I am at least, for my mate Banjo has long given up, he’s stretched out in the back of the truck sound asleep, snoring, twitching, chasing roos or more than likely dreaming of tonight’s dinner, it sure is a dogs life.
Sitting here, parked up in a scenic lookout with commanding 360 degree views of the surrounding area, there's not a cloud in the sky, you can see forever. The wind is softly whistling, flies are buzzing outside, a Wedge tailed eagle soars high above, and quite an amazing sight as I count thirty two Emus, both young and old at the side of the road grazing together or whatever it is that Emus do.  

Through the windscreen, the flat arid land stretches out before me, red dirt, pale green foliage of the saltbush, Flinders ranges to the side contrast beautifully with the clear deep blue sky. From my position perched up high, I can see the road going south and like a river it meanders slowly away, twenty kilometres into the distance as far as the eye can see, and not a vehicle in sight.
Finally the wait is over, forty minutes later and way over in the distance I finally see the headlight of the train, not any old train, but the Leigh Creek coal train, possibly the most important train in the whole of South Australia. What is it that makes it so important?  

Most South Australians love nothing more than a few cold beers whilst watching the Aussies Rules footy on the television. They get pretty upset if the power goes out.
This train keeps them happy, because it hauls the coal from the mine to the power stations located 260 km away in Port Augusta. These power stations produce most of the electricity that is required for the whole of South Australia, but much more importantly, they keep the beer fridge and the TV running.  

Looking through the binoculars, the train appears snakelike as it crawls ever so slowly across the desert floor. A blue head comprised from the three engines and a long brown body of 161 wagons, changing direction as it hugs the curves of the track and heads towards a very long straight. The train is quite an amazing sight as it stretches out in one long continuous line all 2.6 kilometres of it, the colourful backdrop of the arid landscape, the Mount Bayley ranges and the perfect deep blue sky.  

The Leigh Creek coal train begins its 520 odd kilometre return journey to and from Port Augusta nearly everyday. The train with 161 wagons is 2.8km long, that’s a lot of coal and a lot of weight. It is no wonder then that three 82 class diesel electric locomotives owned by Pacific National (8204, 8202 and 8201 in that order) are required to pull it. For I know it could be the longest coal train in the world, but why 161 wagons and not 160 or 163?

I am distracted from the train by a long trail of red dust moving at speed as it is thrown up from one of the side roads. I can see a white Ute racing the train to the crossing, It’s a six minute wait otherwise and I guess the driver has sheep to attend to, or fences to mend? The white Ute wins easily as the train is still over 300 metres away, however a few short blasts on the horn from the train driver lets the Ute driver know what he thinks! I’m not entirely sure what the overall stopping distance is of a 2.8km long train!
I can hear the train now, a quiet low grumble gives way to a sound like a swarm of angry bees and high pitch squeals from the wheels. Six minutes later silence reigns, the train has gone. Nearly at journeys end the train will soon skirt past the perimeter of the town of Leigh Creek, on through the small town of Copley and into the mine. 

The present town of Leigh Creek, sometimes referred to as Leigh Creek South is situated 12 km south of the Leigh Creek coalfield. The old town of Leigh Creek used to be sited next to the coalfield, before they realised that they had actually built the town right on top of it. Things can get confusing out here, especially for passing tourists. The town of Copley which is 6 km north of the current town of Leigh Creek has a hotel, called the Leigh Creek hotel. Leigh Creek also has a hotel it is called the Leigh Creek Tavern. The old town of Leigh Creek? I’m sure it did have a hotel before they dug out all of the coal that was beneath it! 

Once past Copley, the train bears east away from the road and into the huge open cut coalmine. The train continues on through the mine and onto a large loop in the line. It continues on this loop until the whole length of the train has travelled past the coal storage bins. A set of points change and the train reverses under the storage bins, all the way back, all 2.6 km of it until the first seven wagons in line are ready to be filled with coal. The filling of the wagons takes about 3 hours and this process is carefully monitored and overseen by an operator who sits in a purpose built control tower. There are seven coal bins, that fill seven wagons in one go, the train will inch forward to a controlled stop, and the next seven wagons are filled. The answer to why the train has 161 wagons? Well the total number of wagons has to be divisible by seven, that being the total number of coal storage bins at the mine. Finally with all of the wagons filled, that’s over 11000 tons of coal, the train departs the mine and begins it’s five and a half hour long journey home. Back the way it came, down the line to the power stations in Port Augusta. Those power stations sure are hungry, for tomorrow the journey starts all over again.

  

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE FOR TRAINSPOTTERS

Throughout the summer months here in outback Australia you are advised to leave your anorak at home.
Overheating and dehydration can lead to death in a matter of only a few hours.
If you are fond of wearing such a garment remember to carry plenty of water with you.
In the event of heatstroke the most important thing to remember, is to stay with your anorak and DO NOT on any account wander off away from it, even when delirious.
The bright orange colour makes it easier for the rescue parties to find you.

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