Demondrille: 1959, Southern Steam

Demondrille: 1959, Southern Steam

In this late 1950's scenario steam still dominates operations on the lines of the NSWGR South. Affordable air travel and multi-lane highways are the stuff of science fiction. Rail is the most comfortable and economical way to travel. At the start of the session we follow 3804 as it heads the south bound Riverina express just north of Exeter in the NSW Southern Highlands.

Meanwhile east of Blayney 5226 and 5112 double head one of the last coal loads from Lithgow to Victoria. 5308 heads north towards Bethungra Spiral with a consist of returning empty coal trucks. For much of its history coal was one of the main goods transported across the Blayney-Demondrille cross country line. High quality Lithgow coal was much in demand to fire the locomotives of the Victorian railways. However, by the 1960's the introduction of diesel technology in Victoria saw coal shipment in decline.

Z25 class 2531 is also on one it's last runs out of Cowra Loco. It heads the Grenfell Mixed Goods, and will run through to Blayney.

At the time this session is set a number of the small stations which were subsequently closed are still in operation. The CPH rail car service with its attached trailor will stop all stations to Eugowra.

This session runs as a 'lineside' demonstration session. There are many trains active at any one time, all driven by AI drivers. Watch them at work, either through the lineside cameras (press '3'), or the onboard cameras (press '1'). To see what is happening elsewhere on the route you can also swap the view from one train to another by holding down the [Ctrl] key, and pressing a numeric key from 1 to 7.

The session ends when both coal trains have run the length of the route.

Approx run time: 4hr 10 min. 3804 takes approx 2hr 45 to traverse the modelled section of the Main South.

Demondrille: 1959, Southern Steam