Bethungra Spiral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bethungra Spiral |
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Tracks diverging at southern end of the spiral; looping track of the spiral on hillside in the middle distance
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| Location | Main Southern railway, Bethungra, Junee Shire, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1946 |
| Owner | Transport Asset Holding Entity |
| Official name: Bethungra Spiral | |
| Type | state heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 2 April 1999 |
| Reference no. | 1026 |
| Type | Other - Transport - Rail |
| Category | Transport - Rail |
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The Bethungra Spiral is a special part of the Main Southern railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It is located near the town of Bethungra, between Junee and Cootamundra. This unique railway section helps trains climb a steep hill.
It is called a "spiral" because the track loops around a hill to gain height. This clever design helps trains travel uphill more easily. The Bethungra Spiral is an important historical site. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
How the Bethungra Spiral Works
Why the Spiral Was Built
The original railway line was built in 1878. It had a very steep section, especially for trains heading towards Sydney. This steepness meant trains could not carry much weight. It also caused delays because extra engines, called bank engines, had to be added to help push trains up the hill. Then, these engines had to be removed at the top.
In the late 1940s, the railway line was made into two tracks. This is when the Bethungra Spiral was built. It is a special 8.9-kilometer long section. The spiral uses a nearby hill to help trains gain height.
Gaining Height with Loops
The track for trains going uphill (northbound, towards Sydney) spirals around the hill. This makes the climb much less steep. Instead of a very steep climb, the new track has a gentler slope.
Because of how the hill is located, the new northbound track had to cross the original line twice. First, a tunnel was built for the new track to go under the original line. This allowed it to reach the correct side of the hill to start spiraling. After looping around the hill and gaining height, a bridge (called a viaduct) was built. This bridge takes the new track over the original line. This brings the northbound track back to the left side, which is where Australian trains usually run.
The spiral also has two short tunnels. One is at the start, letting the uphill track cross under the original line. The second tunnel allows the track to pass over itself later in the spiral. This happens after it has circled the hill and gained a lot of height. The spiral adds about two kilometers to the journey for uphill trains. Trains going downhill (southbound) still use the original, steeper line.
Dealing with Rockfalls
Building the spiral involved a lot of blasting through hard rock. Because of this, there were problems with rocks falling onto the tracks. Between 1960 and 1987, there were twelve major rockfalls. To fix this, the spiral line was closed for four months in January 1994. During this time, the rock cuts were made wider and less steep. This project helped make the line safer from falling rocks.
Exploring the Spiral's Layout
If you look at an interactive map of the area, you can see how the spiral works. The "up" track (for trains going north towards Cootamundra and Sydney) starts on the left. It separates from the "down" track. This "up" track is built with a gentler slope.
It then goes under the "down" track through a tunnel. After that, it sweeps around the hill, going through a second tunnel. All this time, it is gaining height. Eventually, it crosses over itself, right above the second tunnel. Now, the "up" track is higher than the "down" track. Further north, it crosses back over to the left side of the "down" track. Finally, the two tracks join up again before the Olympic Highway crossing.
Why the Spiral is Important
Heritage Value
The Bethungra Spiral is very important. It shows a clever way to build a railway line up a big hill with easier slopes. It is a major engineering project. It used the best technology available when it was built. The spiral also adds to the beauty of the landscape.
It was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999. This means it is a special place that needs to be protected. It is considered rare in terms of its history, science, and architecture.
Visiting the Bethungra Spiral
If you are traveling through Bethungra towards Cootamundra, you might see a sign. It points to the Rail Spiral Lookout and Bethungra Dam. This is a great place to visit.
A dirt road leads about 3 kilometers to a parking area. There is also a sign with information about the spiral. From a special viewing platform, you can watch trains. You might see a Sydney-bound train come out of a tunnel. Then, just two minutes later, it crosses over that same tunnel!
There are other spots along the road where you can see three railway tracks. They are at three different heights on the hillside. The bottom and top tracks are both part of the "up" (northbound) track. The middle track is the original line, which is now the "down" (southbound) track.
The Spiral and Other Rail Projects
Inland Rail Connection
The Inland Rail is a big new railway project in Australia. A new section of this line was completed by 2025. This new section goes from Illabo to Stockinbingal. It means that some northbound trains on the Inland Rail do not need to use the Bethungra Spiral. They can take a more direct route. However, the Bethungra Spiral is still used by trains on the main Melbourne-Sydney line.
Model Railway
The Epping Model Railway Club, located in Epping, New South Wales, has built a very detailed model of the Bethungra Spiral. This model is built to a scale called HO scale. It is quite large, about 5 by 3 meters. The model can be taken apart and put back together. It is sometimes shown at events as a working display.
Recent Events
2022 Derailment
On January 15, 2022, a freight train had an accident. Around 3:40 AM, ten carriages of a 1500-meter-long train went off the rails. This happened at the highest point of the spiral, above a cutting. Luckily, the carriages did not fall into the cutting. No one was hurt. The railway line was closed for a week while the damaged carriages were removed and the track was fixed.
