Trains... Tunnels...

[Kris86]

I have done a lot of research about train yards, tunnels and other interesting aspects of this area and there does not seem to b much around. :(

Does anyone know of anything in Sydney or surrounding city's?

[ricktas]

Access to the rail corridor is ILLEGAL, except where crossing exist and then you must use the crossing for the purpose intended. Ie walking across- not stopping/car -driving across and not stopping.

Any other activity inside the rail corridor requires permission and a Rail Authority person to be onsite with you at all times.

If you pursue this and do not get the above in place, and either discuss illegal activity, or post photos on this site, you will be removed of membership of this site and reported to the relevant rail authority.

So continue to discuss this issue here, within the LAW, only

[robcran]

Kris86,
One area very close to Sydney is the old Eveleigh railway yards. Much of the old railway infrastructure has been converted to other businesses and conference centre etc, but a lot of the old railway stuff still exists. You won't find tunnels though. And its all legal!
Access the area from Redfern station.

[Kris86]

I would never do anything illegal i was seeking views on places you can get to legally.

I know some people have gone to places near goulburn but thought i would throw the question out there for peoples experiences.

[koputai]

Your best bet is to jump on a train and keep your eye out. As you go along you'll be able to
spot dead-end roads, firetrails, overpasses, underpasses, and all sorts of likely spots you could
get to as vantage points.

Jot down in a notepad about how far each spot is from a known railway station, or a known landmark,
then you can go back to a map or Google Earth and check out how to get there.

Are you after passenger or freight?

Cheers,
Jason.

[Kris86]

Ive been to Carriageworks in Eveleigh where i got the below photo. Didnt go past the boom gate or anything...
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/5972/image1nfh.jpg

[koputai]

That locomotive looks a little small and underpowered............. :)

Cheers,
Jason.

[junqbox]

There's precious little left you can access in Sydney, but when you get out of Sydney, there's a number of railway museums with great collections- Thirlmere, Cowra, Junee, Blue Mountains, etc. There's an old tunnel you can access at Helensburgh on the Illawarra line (where the old station used to be). Plenty of abandoned stations ion the central west- Georges Plains, Kelso, etc near Bathurst.

This should get you started

[Kym]

See http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?13889-Trainspotting-amp-Safety
and http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?5154-Is-That-Image-Worth-Your-Life

[Kris86]

Thanks so much!


There's precious little left you can access in Sydney, but when you get out of Sydney, there's a number of railway museums with great collections- Thirlmere, Cowra, Junee, Blue Mountains, etc. There's an old tunnel you can access at Helensburgh on the Illawarra line (where the old station used to be). Plenty of abandoned stations ion the central west- Georges Plains, Kelso, etc near Bathurst.

This should get you started

[Warus]

My favourite tunnel is the Glow worm tunnel out near Newnes. You can drive in via the Zig Zag railway.

[Mark L]

My favourite tunnel is the Glow worm tunnel out near Newnes. You can drive in via the Zig Zag railway.

I'm interested in this, so can you please explain in a little more detail? Via the Zig Zag railway. :scrtch:

[Kym]

For clarification...
A couple of the mods have direct experience with people being killed by being stupid with trains.
FYI: I work in the rail industry.

It's not about being legal or not, rather that AP members be safe!
So if we seem tough its to make people aware of the issues.

[dunnart]

THere are some nice stone railway viaducts just west of Lithgow and the Zig Zag railway has some impressive stonework too. Unfortunately the Zig Zag suspended operations suddenly a few months ago. No reopening date. Here's hoping they reopen soon, its a great family day out.

[Papou]

Kris hop on a train and head to Thirlemere Railway Meusium you will find a host of old Engines from Steamies to Diesel as well as old wagons there. I had a fewhours which was supposed to be a day cut short for me by unforseen visitors rocking up at the wrong time :).
Plan to headdown that way again and hopefully spend a day or two photographiing through there .
Drive south a wee bit heading back towards tahmoor and there's some relic vans and engine sitting on theline itself which makes intersting shooting also especially if your into HDR..
Shame i didnt sill have some???Holdon a minute see if i can muster some up online or elsewhere:)...
See how this goes???....
http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/d/23777-2/The-Bronzewing_2.jpg

http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/d/23759-2/Thirlemere104_2.jpg
Aaaannndd must say i did work on that first one as a lad , as what was termed a "Loco Watcher" doing the slag runs from the blast furnace(port kembla) to the slag Pits alongside brecketts.
Kinda glad i didna stay with it but glad it did lead me tostay working with Steam right till today:)..
Okay will post and see if those pics stay with the post??.

- - - Updated - - -

Kym, may i ask what part of the Rail system you work in???....just keen to know as i'm also an ex railway worker N.S.W..Long time ago:).

[lazzam]

This link provides some idea of what's around NSW.

www.nswrail.net

[peterb666]

Just some info...

It may be advisable to join either the NSW Rail Transport Museum (http://www.nswrtm.org/) or Australian Rail Historical Society NSW division (ARHS) (http://www.arhsnsw.com.au/)

They both have tours from time to time and usually work photographic opportunities into those. ARHS use to have walking tours of abandoned lines and tunnels but there have been increasing restrictions on these as they have generally been sold of or are in use for other purposes.

The Helensburgh tunnel is easy access but when I was there a couple of weeks ago, someone has taken the Helensburgh station sign from the old platform. There is a bit of roughly laid track entering the tunnel and presents a safe although often wet way of photographing rail lines legally.

The Zig Zag railway has ceased operations due to financial difficulties. A couple of years ago, I asked about access to the Middle Road for photography purposes and was told I could walk up the tunnel from the bottom points. This was rather odd as it means walking uphill through tunnels when there is a chance of a train coming. I wanted an early lift up before the main service but was told the work train is at the top and comes down in the morning so you have to walk up. Needless to say, I didn't do that. Zig Zag is private property but no longer operating. You can access the the line from the top or bottom of the zig zag. I am not what is fenced off but I expect the lower section may be inaccessible when there are no volunteers. Zig Zag Railway (http://www.zigzagrailway.com.au/index.php)

The glow worm tunnels on the old abandoned Wolgan valley line near Newnes are fantastic. Do note when approaching from Lithgow, you will encounter logging trucks and the road is not well marked. Take care.

[Analog6]

There are disused tunnels round Picton region. Go out to the railway museum site at Thirlmere and join up - there's a wealth of information. Welcome to the ranks of Gunzels! We are all insane. Buy yourself a good reflective vest (I think they'll have them at Thirlemere), ypu'll need it if you go out on group activites - and do follow rules.

I've had much fun gunzelling over the years, on my birthday about 15 years or so ago (pre-digital) we chased 3830 steam engine from Goulburn to Cootamundra and back - a magic day. Nothing beats hanging out of the back passenger window of the car shooting the train as you speed along a tarckside road! Not recommended for highways though! :2encou:

Big ornate signal boxes make great photographic subjects too.

Gunzel: The word gunzel originated from the Sydney Tramway Museum in the 1960s as a term for foolish or reckless railfans who shot at things with cameras. Usage was originally confined to south eastern states, it has since spread to the whole of Australia and parts of New Zealand. May be used to refer to a specific interest, e.g. "freight gunzel", "tram gunzel". Originally derogatory, referring to overly enthusiastic or foolish rail fans. Now refers to railway enthusiasts in general, and the term is often used with pride.

(full ref here (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gunzel))

A couple of 3801 from a 2005 trip up north, taken near Kyogle. I drove up to a railwai crossing at a country track and just walked along the grass at the edge to the curve. The wheen shot was when I was stopped, of course, at a siding near Kyogle.

95600

95601

Steam Trains (http://www.flickr.com/photos/odille/sets/72157624305591038/) set

[img]http://ih0.redbubble.net/image.9763813.9041/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg[img]