It has been announced TWO 1.8km long Crossing Loops are to be constructed between 'Lithgow and Orange'.West of Bathurst there were crossing loops at Georges Plains, Tumulla and Wimbledon (where the bank engines came off). It was then single track to Gresham where double track resumed to Murrobo. There may have also been a siding at Perthville in the form of a loop but as Perthville was normally unattended and within sight of Georges Plains I don't think any crossings occurred there. There were further loops at Blayney, Polona and Millthorpe before double track resumed at Spring Hill to Orange.
The first one they say is to be located some '3kms from Rydal', the other out at Georges Plains.
At a guess the first one could start from the road bridge at the beginning of the bends and run back towards Tarana over what was the old Sodwalls Yard area as that is fairly level and straight.
There are 2 overbridges between Rydal and Sodwals and its the 2nd one nearest to Sodwalls I think the loop will commence from.
Once you pass the Road Overbridge (Grave's Farm) the grade does increase all the way through to some 2 kms east of Rydal before descending to Wallerawang.
Originally it cost some $27 millions back in the mid 90s to convert the existing double line to a single line between Tarana and Wallerawang but that also incorporated all new signalling too.
Although I worked briefly at Bathurst West, I have little knowledge of the workings through to Orange from there but I do know there was only a siding at Tumulla to cross trains and a section of double line through Newbridge so this crossing loop is a whole new idea as the current single line between Blayney and Bathurst is too long.The Rydal Loop proposal was posted here early in 2017 from memory.
Edited 16 Jun 2018 17:03, 3 years ago, edited by neillfarmer
It has been announced TWO 1.8km long Crossing Loops are to be constructed between 'Lithgow and Orange'.West of Bathurst there were crossing loops at Georges Plains, Tumulla and Wimbledon (where the bank engines came off). It was then single track to Gresham where double track resumed to Murrobo. There may have also been a siding at Perthville in the form of a loop but as Perthville was normally unattended and within sight of Georges Plains I don't think any crossings occurred there. There were further loops at Blayney, Polona and Millthorpe before double track resumed to Orange.
The first one they say is to be located some '3kms from Rydal', the other out at Georges Plains.
At a guess the first one could start from the road bridge at the beginning of the bends and run back towards Tarana over what was the old Sodwalls Yard area as that is fairly level and straight.
There are 2 overbridges between Rydal and Sodwals and its the 2nd one nearest to Sodwalls I think the loop will commence from.
Once you pass the Road Overbridge (Grave's Farm) the grade does increase all the way through to some 2 kms east of Rydal before descending to Wallerawang.
Originally it cost some $27 millions back in the mid 90s to convert the existing double line to a single line between Tarana and Wallerawang but that also incorporated all new signalling too.
Although I worked briefly at Bathurst West, I have little knowledge of the workings through to Orange from there but I do know there was only a siding at Tumulla to cross trains and a section of double line through Newbridge so this crossing loop is a whole new idea as the current single line between Blayney and Bathurst is too long.The Rydal Loop proposal was posted here early in 2017 from memory.
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