A bit of choo-choo history

I am fortunate to live near some great walks and beautiful bush, which is a great thing for me as I train for expedition #2.

Talking of trains, here is the story of how the first trains climbed the Blue Mountains escarpment from Sydney - in 1867 a zig-zag was built so that the trains could go up the steep hill and continue on to the west of the state.

Here is the cutting of the top of the zig -

The trains would drive along the bottom zig, then reverse up the next part of the zag, before zigging off again. Get it?

There is the complementary zig- zag at the other end of the mountains near Lithgow where you can still go on steam trains ans see how the system worked.

Here there is still an old station platform.

Before the zig-zag the railway line had to cross a deep gully, Knapsack Creek which was done by building this beautiful sandstone bridge.

 After the railway was re-routed the bridge was widened to fit a road, and now the road has been re-routed so the bridge is just for walkers and bikeriders.

A view of the old bridge (foreground) and the new railway bridge,the new road is out of sight but not out of sound!

Strange to think that all the drivers rushing out of Sydney to the west and beyond are probably unaware of these historic remnants and the beauty of the bush here.