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Zanthus, Western Australia facts for kids

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Zanthus
Western Australia
Zanthus, Western Australia-1940.JPG
Zanthus circa 1940
Zanthus is located in Western Australia
Zanthus
Zanthus
Location in Western Australia
Postcode(s) 6434
Area [convert: needs a number]
Location
LGA(s) City of Kalgoorlie–Boulder
Region Goldfields–Esperance
State electorate(s) Eyre
Federal Division(s) O'Connor

Zanthus is a very remote and empty place in Western Australia. It is located along the famous Trans-Australian Railway. Zanthus is about 210 kilometers (130 miles) east of the city of Kalgoorlie. It is part of the Goldfields–Esperance region.

Train Travel at Zanthus

Zanthus Station-2001
Zanthus cabin, now at the Bassendean rail museum

Before 1915, Zanthus was an important stop for trains. This was when the Trans-Australian Railway was still being built. Trains arrived daily, bringing materials for the railway workers.

Past Train Delays

In 1948, a train was delayed near Zanthus. Heavy floods had washed away parts of the tracks. Passengers were stuck at Zanthus for a while. Some people flew to Kalgoorlie by plane. Over 50 workers fixed the damaged tracks quickly.

Train Accidents and Repairs

In 1953, a train accident happened near Zanthus. Five passenger cars of an eastbound express train left the tracks. This damaged a section of the railway line. Repair crews worked all night to fix it. They even built a new path for the trains by the next day.

In 1975, a big storm called Cyclone Trixie caused heavy rain. This led to a large washaway near Zanthus. The railway line had to close. Workers built a new bridge in just two weeks to fix the damage.

The Zanthus Crossing Loop

Zanthus has a special section of track called a "crossing loop." This allows trains to pass each other. On August 8, 1999, the Indian Pacific passenger train had an accident with a parked train in this area.

Zanthus is also known for its unique name. It often appears on lists of interesting place names in Western Australia.

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