The Flying Scotsman

Screenshot from Tilt Train (Rockhampton - Brisbane).

Meets 3rd Tuesday of the month.

CDC room B. 

CONTACT: Mark H.   (u3acapcoast@gmail.com)

BACK

JULY 2025:

The session covered a range of topics including; the retirement of the EMU (Electric Multiple Unit train) earlier in the month and spiral loops including the one at Cougal on the Qld/NSW border. 

JUNE 2025: 

In June the group looked at the XPT from NSW. The train is more than 40-years old and is being replaced by a train made in Spain. 

MAY2024: 

Battery assisted wagons are being tested in the USA which can electrically power and brake a wagon. If enough wagons are powered this way they can eliminate one locomotive from the train.

APRIL 2024: 

The presentation in April was on train braking systems new and old, the latest EPC braking system. We also saw the latest Hydrogen powered train being tested in the USA for a Guinness World Record. The use of hydrogen fuel cell to produce electricity for traction power. This involves the production of hydrogen fuel for commercial and industrial use, also the new plant in Gladstone that produces hydrogen fuel cells.

FEBRUARY 2024:
We looked at articulated Garrat locomotives that operated in both Queensland and South Africa. 

NOVEMBER 2023:
Our last class for the year was about Sir Nigel Gresley, an English locomotive engineer, who designed the mighty Mallard steam locomotive. The Flying Scotsman was one of his designs. These locomotives set world speed recordings for steam-hauled trains.

OCTOBER 2023:
This month we looked at the Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide. Plenty of photos and great memories.

JULY 2023
In July we looked at "Accidents, Incidents and Derailments." The rate of serious incidents worldwide surprised all, also the third-party; investigating incidents.

We also watched a movie on a rather different type of monorail; balancing on a single rail.

FEBRUARY 2023
Our topic for February was Light Rail and Cane Trains in Queensland. 

Recent classes focused on 

• Railway infrastructure from the early days of manual labour working with bullock teams through to the mechanised track laying machines used today. 

• The high-speed railways of France & the HS2 project in Great Britain. (For trains to reach speeds above 300 km per hour great changes have to be made to track foundations, locomotive transformers, motors and overhead power supply. )