Diving Down Under

As mentioned in the description of my previous pic, we visited Scenic World in Katoomba yesterday, also riding the two ropeways and this, the self-proclaimed world's steepest railway, with a maximum incline of 52°. Just last year, the trackage and the railcars have been completely replaced, which is a shame, as the old cars had open sides, making them much more photo-friendly. Oh well, guess I was too late this time. Unlike most funiculars, there is only one car going back and forth, probably because there was no space for a switch in the middle. The wheels on either side are double-flanged and it even uses two haulage cables instead of just one, making it extra safe and everything.

While riding it was quite an enjoyable experience, the time you spend in the train is actually very short, perhaps one or two minutes at most, overshadowed by the half-hour waiting time. Oh well, now I can say that I've been on the world's steepest train without falling out or anything.

Interesting fact: The center building of Scenic World where the ropeways and this train depart is also home to a roller coaster that was constructed in 1984, but never opened. Known as the "Orphan Rocker", it was supposed to be the first roller coaster that was entirely planned and built in Australia. Apparently, due to time constraints caused by other construction projects in the park at that time, it was left there as it was. Some modifications and repairs have been carried out on the tracks, but these days, some sections are missing entirely, with the structure not looking like it's ever going to have trains passing over it again. You can do a Google image search in case you're interested in what it looks like. The ride was tested successfully, with people on board, but never carried a paying passenger. Will be interesting to see whether they might get around to resurrecting it some time in the future, or whether it will head to the scrap heap after being exposed to the elements for decades.