Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The Lithgow Zig Zag is a heritage-listed former zig zag railway line built near Lithgow on the Great Western Line of New South Wales in Australia. The zig zag line operated between 1869 and 1910, to overcome an otherwise insurmountable climb and descent on the western side of the Blue Mountains .
The Zig Zag Railway is an Australian heritage railway, situated near Lithgow, New South Wales.It was opened by the not-for-profit Zig Zag Railway Co-op as an unpaid volunteer-staffed heritage railway in October 1975, using the alignment of the Lithgow Zig Zag line that formed part of the Main Western line between 1869 and 1910.
With the completion of the Lithgow Zig Zag in 1869, the Western railway's terminus moved from Mount Victoria to Bowenfels, signifying the successful crossing of the Blue Mountains. Whilst the railway would continue west, Lithgow proved to be an important destination in itself due to coal and iron ore deposits. [3]
The Zig Zag was created by the track switching back on itself twice to reach the valley floor. From here it continued west to Lithgow. This section was opened on 18 October 1869. [2] The 1869 Zig Zag became a bottleneck to the flow of traffic and as early as 1885, consideration was given to its replacement.
Zig zags suffer from a number of limitations: The length of trains is limited to what will fit on the shortest stub track in the zig zag. For this reason, the Lithgow Zig Zag's stubs were extended at great expense in 1908. [5] Even then, delays were such that the zig zag had eventually to be bypassed by a new route, opened two years later.
Zig Zag has two side platforms, sized at 7 m each. [5] It is serviced by NSW TrainLink Blue Mountains Line services travelling from Sydney Central to Lithgow.It is a request stop with passengers required to notify the guard if they wish to alight and signal the driver if they want to board.
It is situated at the reversal point of the Lower and Middle Roads of the Lithgow Zig Zag. When the Zig Zag Railway reopened in October 1975, Bottom Points was a terminal station on the line. It has a water crane at one end to replenish locomotives. The signal box was built in 1910 when the Ten Tunnels line opened, and was later relocated. [1 ...
2 Operation of Original Lithgow Zig Zag. 1 comment. 3 Like, what the hell. 1 comment. 4 zig zag route. 2 comments. 5 Merger discussion. 3 comments. 6 Further Reading ...