Oops...Coal Everywhere!!!

We have two coal carrying companies in this area, one is Queensland Rail National who my OH (Charlie) works for driving coal trains and the other new comer to the scene is Pacific National.

Lateish on Christmas Eve PN had a little derailment. Charlie counted 15/16 wagons off when we went past on Christmas morning on our way to his parent's place for breakfast.
Of course being the opposing team, so to speak, we had to take some photos. These are all that we could manage on my camera before the battery went flat. Charlie got more on his camera.
Still it gives you an idea of the mess.


These two photos show the front of the train. You can see a loco after the last two wagons, well that's about the middle of the whole train. This part wasn't derailed.

Here is the beginning of the mess. That metal pole you can see that has fallen across the first wagon is what is supposed to hold the overhead power lines up to run the trains. We understand this wagon was empty (which it shouldn't of been) and had derailed further back up the line.
Where this derailment happened there is a set of points so when the derailed wagon hit these points, it's caused wagons behind it to derail too.

Three photos of middle of mess!!

Getting towards end of derailment.

The beginning of the end of the train that didn't derail. The Pacific National sign is very visible isn't it????? It made a change for them to be spotlighted by the media for once.

It was raining and overcast when these photos were taken, about 7am Christmas morning.

We weren't the only sightseers either, locals and tourists were stopping for a gawk like us. rofl

They didn't start cleaning it up until Boxing day because of the rain.

OK that's it from me for today. I have some Christmas projects to show so will put them up in the next couple of days.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.