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. The line climbs the western flank of the Blue Mountains, using railway zig zags to gain height.
Between Lithgow and Clarence, the Main Western line needed to climb the western flank of the Blue Mountains, overcoming a vertical distance of 550 ft (170 m). The alternative eventually decided upon required the use of two railway zig zags where all trains had to reverse. The line had a ruling grade of 1:42 (~2.38%) on three inclines known as the Top Road (above Top Points), Middle Road (between the two zig zags) and Bottom Road (below Bottom Points).*
In 1988, the Railway was extended to Clarence, with the assistance of a Bicentenary grant and supplemented the steam train services with diesel railmotors on weekdays.**
Unfortunately, in 2012 the railway was forced to close due to rising costs and the increasingly complex regulatory requirements of operating a railway. Following the closure, two significant bushfires and a flood devastated the railway and left the site damaged and volunteers with an enormous challenge.**
The Zig Zag Railway re-opened in 2023 and currently offers two 'Heritage Rail Experiences.' These are:
If arriving by car, the Zig Zag Railway trip will start at Clarence, proceed to Top Points, then journey to Bottom Points before returning to Clarence.
If going to the Zig Zag Railway by train, the trip will start at Bottom Points, go to Top Points, followed by Clarence, and then return to Bottom Points.
This video demonstrates the first option as I arrived by car. I hope you enjoy it and can support the wonderful volunteers who helped make this a truly enjoyable day.
* Courtesy of Wikipedia
** Courtesy ZigZagRailway.au
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