Bringing The Noise, Bringing The Light

            It was a cool wintry evening in Willow Tree, located in the north-west of NSW. An empty Pacific National coal train had arrived only moments ago with much squealing of brakes and clunking of wagons. With the train finally at a stand in the loop, the only sound that could be heard was a gentle hiss of air, and the occasional truck passing by on the nearby New England Highway.

In the distance, a distinctive EMD warble. Freightliner 5182 export container train from Wee Waa to Port Botany had been held just outside the loop until the coal train was tucked away. As the locomotives of 5182 passed the locomotives of the coal train, a faint glow appeared and the warble intensified.

Given green lights through to the top of Ardglen, at the Liverpool Range, the crew of 5182 wanted to get as much momentum into their heavy train as possible before the slog started. It was all over in seconds, the blinding light of the headlight washing across the run down old station (still used daily in each direction, remarkably), the roar of the locomotives deafening.

Once the locomotives had passed the platform, the sound began to recede, replaced by the methodical clanking and banging of their wagons. The climb was on, and they would soon pass a loaded Aurizon coal train waiting at Chilcotts Creek loop with four giant GE locomotives  - two on the front, and two bankers waiting to follow 5182 up the grades with their own massive train.

With no such assistance for 5182, it was all down to veteran locomotives C510, C505, G533 and the experienced crew to ascend the grades ahead.

On the same day as this photograph was taken, news came through that CFCL Australia (owner of three of the ten C Class locomotives, at the time of writing all stored at Goulburn) had placed their units up for sale. Given the mass exodus of Australian locomotives to South Africa in the last twelve months, who knows how much longer we'll be able to enjoy experiences of this caliber.

In this case, it was more than just "the shot". It was the whole deal to remind us just exactly what it is about this hobby that keeps us coming back despite all of the punishment.

Taken in: Australia / New South Wales / Willow Tree (show map)

Taken on: June 12, 2015

Tags:

C Class

C510

Northern Tablelands

Main North

Night

Freightliner

Freightliner Australia

monochrome

black & white « less

Sets appears in: • The Main North • June, 2015 more » • Trains After Dark • The Railways in Monochrome « less

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, f/22.0, 0.8 sec, 32mm, ISO 1000 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Lens:	EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Aperture:	f/22.0
Exposure Time:	0.8
Focal Length:	32mm
ISO:	1000
Exposure Bias:	-2/3 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 12.0 Windows
Show full info

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