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 railway line near Bethungra, Australia. It helps trains traveling from Melbourne to Sydney climb a steep hill. It's called a "spiral" because the track loops around a hill to gain height slowly. This clever design avoids a very steep climb.
This railway section is considered very important. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on April 2, 1999.
Contents
How the Bethungra Spiral Was Built
The original railway line was built in 1878. It had a very steep section, like climbing a big hill. This made it hard for trains to carry heavy loads. They often needed extra engines, called "bank engines," to push them up. This also caused delays.
Why a Spiral Was Needed
When the railway line was made into two tracks in the late 1940s, engineers faced a challenge. They needed to make the uphill track less steep. They decided to build an 8.9-kilometer (about 5.5 miles) spiral track. This new track goes around a hill to gain height gradually.
How the Spiral Works
Imagine a hill next to the railway. The new northbound track (for trains going to Sydney) goes around this hill. To do this, it first goes through a tunnel under the original track. This moves it to the other side of the original line.
Then, the track spirals around the hill. It even goes through a second tunnel where it passes over itself! This helps the train gain enough height. After circling the hill, the new track crosses back over the original line on a bridge. This makes sure it's on the correct side again.
The spiral adds about two kilometers (1.2 miles) to the journey for uphill trains. But it makes the climb much easier. The new uphill track has a gentler slope. Trains going downhill (southbound) still use the original, steeper track.
Dealing with Rockfalls
Building the spiral involved a lot of blasting through hard rock. Because of this, there were many rockfalls over the years. Between 1960 and 1987, there were twelve big rockfalls.
In 1994, the spiral line was closed for four months. Workers widened the cuttings and made the slopes less steep. This project helped make the line safer from falling rocks.
Why the Bethungra Spiral Is Important
The Bethungra Spiral is very significant. It shows a smart way to climb a mountain range with easier slopes. It's a major engineering project. It used the best technology available when it was built. The spiral also adds to the beauty of the landscape.
Heritage Listing Details
The Bethungra Spiral was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 1999. It was recognized for being:
- Uncommon or rare in the history of New South Wales.
- Historically, scientifically, and architecturally rare.
Exploring the Bethungra Spiral Area
If you look at the interactive map, you can see how the tracks work. The "up" track (to Sydney) starts on the left. It separates from the "down" track. It then goes under the "down" track through a tunnel.
The "up" track then sweeps around the hill, gaining height. It passes through a second tunnel. After this, it is higher than the "down" track. It then crosses back over the "down" track on a bridge. Finally, both tracks come together again further north.
The Inland Railway Project
There's a new railway project called the Inland Railway. This project will build a new section of track. It will go from Illabo to Stockinbingal. This new section will help trains avoid climbing the Bethungra Spiral.
However, the Bethungra Spiral will still be used. It will continue to be an important part of the main railway line between Melbourne and Sydney. This new section of the Inland Railway is expected to be finished by 2025.
Visiting the Bethungra Spiral
It can be tricky to see the Bethungra Spiral up close. If you drive through Bethungra, you might not even know it's there. It's to the right of the Olympic Highway. There aren't many signs or safe places to park and watch the trains.
However, there is one spot where you can see three railway tracks at different heights. These tracks are on the hillside to the east of the Olympic Highway. The lowest and highest tracks are both parts of the "up" (northbound) track. The middle track is the original line, now used by "down" (southbound) trains.
Gallery
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Overpass just south of Bethungra Spiral
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Composite photo showing tail of XPT train entering tunnel and (2) disappearing left, 30m higher 2 minutes later
Images for kids
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Epping Model Railway Club's Bethungra Spiral (layout)
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Epping Model Railway Club's Bethungra Spiral (detail)
