Hey Guys, I grew up in the lower Blue Mountains and we rarely ever saw the Tangaras go past Emu Plains. My father used to say that the Tangara's weren't powerful enough to make it up the mountains line safely. Also, he used to say that they wouldn't fit past Springwood station.

What's the truth here?

Tangaras certainly had the power to run up the mountains, they had/have more powerful motors than the original V-sets. I was told by someone who would've known in the early 1990's that there had been a quiet test run to Lawson. May have required some platform edge brick chiselling to do it regularly. But they were extremely unpopular with Blue Mountains commuters, who had the political clout of a very swinging seat to get state politicians to take notice of their desires. A plan to run K-sets to Springwood was killed off very quickly, too.

Hey Guys, I grew up in the lower Blue Mountains and we rarely ever saw the Tangaras go past Emu Plains. My father used to say that the Tangara's weren't powerful enough to make it up the mountains line safely. Also, he used to say that they wouldn't fit past Springwood station.

What's the truth here?

Won't fit past Springwood (officially, as documented), but will definitely get to Springwood in the event they need one up there for whatever reason (special event at Olympic Park, etc)

What's the truth here?[/quote]Won't fit past Springwood (officially, as documented), but will definitely get to Springwood in the event they need one up there for whatever reason (special event at Olympic Park, etc)[/quote]

AFAIK, loading gauge work was done gradually to allow medium width trains to get to Springwood. This was done at same time as work to install concrete sleepers and redo OHW. etc. All stations except Lapstone and Mt Victoria have island platforms which is easier than side platforms.

This work presumably is continuing past Springwood to the next likely terminal point, probably Mt Vic, where there is some stabling.

I don't think the changes were very large, except perhaps the Glenbrook tunnel. Devil in the details.

Medium width in the case  of the Tangaras means 3000mm width at platform level.

In an old timetable (mid 1990s IIRC), there was a daily Springwood train rostered as a Tangara. It came off the north shore, around 16:35 at Town Hall. Return journey was all to Penrith then stable.

I used to take it periodically when I lived in Blaxland.

In an old timetable (mid 1990s IIRC), there was a daily Springwood train rostered as a Tangara. It came off the north shore, around 16:35 at Town Hall. Return journey was all to Penrith then stable.

I used to take it periodically when I lived in Blaxland.

Couple of years ago T sets were rostered to run between Springwood and Oly Park for a special event over a weekend. I am not sure if they can pass each other in the Emu Plains Springwood section.

Glenbrook No 2 was notched out to accommodate V sets but can take T sets as well as OSCARS. OSCARS cannot proceed past Springwood due to the plug doors fouling some platforms but the car body does fit OK. Rumour has that an OSCAR has made it to Katoomba but unable to open the doors at stations as mentioned.

The new NIF sets have the same problems as OSCARS past Springwood to Mt Victoria but will be accomodated by raising the track through platforms. The 10 tunnels present another problem which might be not worth solving.

Couple of years ago T sets were rostered to run between Springwood and Oly Park for a special event over a weekend. I am not sure if they can pass each other in the Emu Plains Springwood section.

Glenbrook No 2 was notched out to accommodate V sets but can take T sets as well as OSCARS. OSCARS cannot proceed past Springwood due to the plug doors fouling some platforms but the car body does fit OK. Rumour has that an OSCAR has made it to Katoomba but unable to open the doors at stations as mentioned.

The new NIF sets have the same problems as OSCARS past Springwood to Mt Victoria but will be accommodated by raising the track through platforms. The 10 tunnels present another problem which might be not worth solving.

Tnx for mention of plug doors problem; news to me. Devil in the details.

Couple of years ago T sets were rostered to run between Springwood and Oly Park for a special event over a weekend. I am not sure if they can pass each other in the Emu Plains Springwood section.

Glenbrook No 2 was notched out to accommodate V sets but can take T sets as well as OSCARS. OSCARS cannot proceed past Springwood due to the plug doors fouling some platforms but the car body does fit OK. Rumour has that an OSCAR has made it to Katoomba but unable to open the doors at stations as mentioned.

The new NIF sets have the same problems as OSCARS past Springwood to Mt Victoria but will be accommodated by raising the track through platforms. The 10 tunnels present another problem which might be not worth solving.

Tnx for mention of plug doors problem; news to me. Devil in the details.

Jumped on a Waratah at Parramatta recently, first time in a long while, stepped up around 150/200 mm. The previous arriving V set was around platform height. Learn something every day. Thanks.

I occasionally travelled on a T-Set to Springwood and saw them often when I lived at Woodford up to to 2010. There was talk that they could not pass each other in some sections but obviously not a problem as only one would be on the mountains at a time

Glenbrook No 2 was notched out to accommodate V sets but can take T sets as well as OSCARS. OSCARS cannot proceed past Springwood due to the plug doors fouling some platforms but the car body does fit OK. Rumour has that an OSCAR has made it to Katoomba but unable to open the doors at stations as mentioned.

The new NIF sets have the same problems as OSCARS past Springwood to Mt Victoria but will be accomodated by raising the track through platforms. The 10 tunnels present another problem which might be not worth solving.

I do not believe that raising the track has ever been mentioned in any documentation for the works to enable the new trains to run on the Mountains. The works will comprise a mixture of cutting back of platform coping and slewing of track away from platforms.With the tunnels,it is only 8 that cause a problem, and plans are already being drawn up to notch the walls of these.