Australian Trains: XPT Cabride from Cootamundra to Demondrille

Join us for a quick cab ride in the XPT from Cootamundra to Demondrille, in south-western NSW. This footage was taken in May 2001, and not much has changed in the scenery department, but the signalling has. All the semaphores are now gone, replaced by coloured-light signals.

[@beagle7622]

It’s a fabulous trip. It is a National disgrace that the Idiots in Canberra ( yes Canberra) have allowed the whole railway infrastructure to fall into such disrepair. Tim Fischer tried but was overwhelmed by the Economic dries. It is unbelievable that this is the railway connection between 2 cities with a population of over 10 million people . Could not happen anywhere else in the world. It you are lucky enough to goer a good carriage that rides well . It’s a great trip.

[@steamfreak]

Yes it's a real shame

[@mickryan2450]

When the stickdrops its on

[@fordlandau]

Great to see semaphores still in action.

[@steamfreak]

It seemed so mundane at the time, but yes glad I got it on video.

[@peterb2888]

Great video. Love all the semaphore signals.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks! All gone now though...

[@georgeackerman90]

very good overall nice to see the old stations along the way thanks for posting, better late than never.

[@steamfreak]

+George Ackerman thanks! Looks quite different now without all the semaphores

[@petejellis]

when the ticking kicked in it sounded like the start of You're the Voice. I was waiting for Farnham to start :)

[@terryirons1966]

suggest it is the Hasler speed recorder as used on all locos in NSW .

[@steamfreak]

Nooooo! Not Farnham! 😂

[@Martindyna]

Interesting video & awesome traction motor noise.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@smokeboxphotography9284]

At Demondrille there is an old closed branch line to Cowra and Blayney. At Cowra there is a museum

[@steamfreak]

There are other videos here of steam between Demondrille and Cowra.

[@jimcrawford5039]

Zero nine, you are correct, they are modified for steep grades in NSW.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks

[@sylviaelse5086]

The main running lines were resleeped since then, causing no end of trouble with mud holes.

[@steamfreak]

I hope it's better now!

[@mickryan2450]

Yes i was a fitter assist in that job

[@mickryan2450]

They ripped into the substrate jh did not give a shir

[@paulhoare9184]

The ticking noise is the recorder, like a black box in aircraft. If no ticking, it's not working, so i'm led to believe anyway.

[@brunoignaciogi]

it's the speedo

[@alexthompson5275]

right

[@alexthompson5275]

ATSB had to take it out of XP2000 and XP2018 after wallan

[@steamfreak]

I thought it was the speedo. Annoying for the driver!

[@russellclough1181]

I work on the speedometers! If you think they sound annoying trying fixing one under fault conditions! They are an expensive headache! The balance wheel alone is $900 to replace

[@cabbagepatch8947]

So many bends and the track so rough! So slow!

[@steamfreak]

Yep, not the best for a trunk route!

[@Martindyna]

The main, in your face deficiency in the design of the XPT is that cab windscreen wiper imo that looks like it's been borrowed from a car and leaves large areas of the screen untouched. Shame that the screen wasn't cleaner for the otherwise excellent video.

[@steamfreak]

Thanks!

[@Martindyna]

@@steamfreak Thanks. To be fair wiper doesn't look so bad in the below video:- `The Great Journey South: XPT from Brisbane to The Border Loop' @ 1.44. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mabJdJ-kh515h6s

[@LordIsles]

Great work. But how confusing for a driver is the mixture of upper and lower quadrant semaphore signals?

[@fordlandau]

NSW. has a long history of automatic American style 3 position upper quadrant signals. But manual signals were always lower quadrant. I think NSW signals have quite a Great Western Railway. appearance.

[@steamfreak]

They look good though!

[@oscillation9814]

The XPT is basically the Australian Version of the British Intercity 125 HST, right?

[@danthefryingpan963]

The design was based of the Class 43 yes, but was geared to a max of 170km/h or 100mph for australias lower high speeds.

[@Johnfromaustralia]

it also has a paxman valenta v10 engine powering it to bud.

[@legass420]

DanTheFryingPan 183 km/h*

[@Martindyna]

+ Zero Nine. Power cars similar only to IC125 with lower traction motor gearing to handle the bigger hills in Aus. with better engine cooling etc. etc. Carriages completely different I believe (bogies may be similar). Suggest you take a look at Wikipedia. Also there's a 3 part video `XPT by Comeng' about XPT here on YT. Design speed 160 Km/hr (99.4 MPH).

[@Gaminggunzeller]

It basically came from the United Kingdom.

[@steamfreak]

My friend Harry loaned me his invisibility cloak :-)

[@trevorphilips9368]

when u pay close attention u hear the reused mat64 like electric motors

[@steamfreak]

Is that what the noise is?

[@Martindyna]

Seems he forgot to blow the horn on time for the road @ 1.30

[@steamfreak]

Ah, plenty of time! :)

[@danthefryingpan963]

what is that plate in the points at 1:12? how is the train meant to go straight down the track if thats there?

[@markbennett8339]

That is a point protector. It basically guides the wheel so that as the wheel enters the points, the flange is pushed slightly off the rail to protect the toe of the switch rail from wear.

[@danthefryingpan963]

Oh, interesting, thanks man :).

[@steamfreak]

Ah thanks, I didn't know that!

[@TylerSmith-hd8tb]

Look at the signal lights there very probably from the 1800s

[@steamfreak]

Yep. Top notch modern railway!

[@steamfreak]

Diesel electric

[@user-cb8vo9rp4d]

What is the class this diesel locomotive?

[@Martindyna]

@@user-cb8vo9rp4d Similar only to British Rail Class 43. Many modifications for Australian conditions including lower traction motor gearing to get up the hills (design speed 160 km/h). See `XPT by COMENG' here on KZbin if interested (3 videos).

[@baileythorpe2443]

This isnt steam

[@steamfreak]

Astute observation.

[@666plb]

Is it diesel electric or diesel hydraulic?

[@sutherlandA1]

Diesel electric

[@Martindyna]

If you turn your speakers up you'll be able to hear the electric traction motor whine as the train gathers speed mate 0:29

[@muttley8818]

Diesel Electric. XPT was based on the British Class 43 HST. Look at pics of them and you'll see the similarity.

[@muttley8818]

Believe they also use the same engine. Valenta Paxman or VP185. That was before HST's were re-engined with MTU's. The engine in this vid is a VP185. Very distinctive sound when it gets going.

[@steamfreak]

Diesel Electric

[@steamfreak]

No idea, but it was very annoying!