A new flyover has been recently opened at Sandgate, in suburban Newcastle, NSW, Australia. The flyover takes the main lines over the 'coal road', thus allowing coal trains unimpeded access to and from Kooragang Island.

A selection of scenes from the 'Main South', the New South Wales portion of the main line linking Sydney with Melbourne.

Sydney is Australia's largest city and features an extensive urban rail network, including a small network of freight-only lines. The main lines carry a mixture of suburban and intercity double deck electric passenger trains, long distance passenger trains (both the loco hauled Indian-Pacific and XPT and Xplorer services) as well as freight trains worked by diesel-electric locomotives of widely varying models, ages and colour schemes. These photos depict a cross-section of train working around the Sydney metropolitan area in 2006.

Yass Junction is located on the main Southern line that links Sydney with Melbourne. It was formerly the location from which the short branch line to Yass Town diverged. The branch closed in 1988 and today the station is unattended, but the daily XPTs that run between Sydney and Melbourne still call at Yass Junction.

Although many of the structures that once graced the rail network of NSW have been demolished, there are still some fine examples of 19th century railway infrastructure in existence, even on the main lines. Some of the old stations are still in active service.

The lower reaches of the North Coast line are characterised by many curves and picturesque scenery. Single track, with crossing loops 10 - 15 km apart, and a steady supply of an assortment of trains ensure a variety of action for the trackside observer.

The latter half of the 1980s was mostly an era of stagnation in the world of NSW railway infrastructure. Although many buildings had been demolished in the first half of the 1980s, the pace later slowed, and very little in the way of new structures were erected. Towards the end of the decade, a review by consultants Booz-Allen & Hamilton foreshadowed a considerable rationalisation of the network, thus hastening the task of recording what was still in existence.

By the mid 1980s, Sydney's suburban railway system had been extensively colonised by double deck rolling stock. However, the venerable single decker units continued to operate in vast numbers, some remaining in the abortive 'PTC blue' colour scheme of the 1970s. Loco hauled trains could be seen daily under the command of the 46 class electric units while many interurban services were worked by the so-called 'U-Boats', the beautifully designed single decker silver sets that sped between Sydney and the Blue Mountains and the Central Coast. These trains represented the ultimate in 1950s sophistication and their elegant and stylish simplicity has never been bettered.

Demondrille North Signal Box, located near the twin towns of Harden/Murrumburrah in the South West of New South Wales (Australia), works the junction between the main Southern line (linking Sydney and Melbourne) and the line to Cowra and Blayney. In August 1985 it was attended throughout the week, althought the signal box was relegated to 'attended as required' status in June 1992.

Some scenes of trains and stations in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales (Australia) taken in 1984. The Hunter Valley is the source of significant coal traffic, but the lines also see passenger trains. Much of the infrastructure has changed over the years - some of the buildings in these photos no longer exist.

Some views of infrastructure around the NSW rail system from the early to mid 1980s. Branch line services were still operating on a number of lines and many stations that have since been demolished, in whole or in part, were still standing. Sidings could be seen with wagons occupying them - it was a different railway in the early 1980s, although the system was by then in decline. Train services were being cut, stations that had been closed were demolished and the reminders of the steam age were starting to rapidly disappear. In retrospect, the 1980s can be seen as the decade in which the rail system shook off the cloak of its considerable steam heritage, but in so doing, it lost much of what had made it such an interesting experience for travellers and enthusiasts alike. By the end of the decade, considerable change was in store, but these images depict a time that was rapidly closing.

Some views taken at the NSW Hunter Valley station of Branxton, about 30 km west of Maitland, on one afternoon: Sunday 19 February 2006. Frequent coal trains roll through Branxton but the station is no longer attended and only local trains continue to stop at what is now only a minor station in the Hunter Valley network.

Queanbeyan is the junction for the railway line to Canberra, Australia's capital city, and the line that formerly ran to Bombala. Truncated to Cooma in 1987 and again to Michelago in 1989, the former Bombala line is now a 'branch line' with trains only operating as far as Royalla. The line to Canberra is now the 'main line'. CountryLink operates Xplorer services between Sydney and Canberra each day and Pacific National runs fuel trains to Canberra three times per week. This is now the only freight that is carried by rail to the nation's capital. Queanbeyan signal box contains a small lever frame, two miniature electric staff instruments (the sections are to Canberra and Bungendore) and an Ordinary Train Staff and Ticket box for the section to Royalla. 'Tourist' services are now the only trains that run to Royalla, with the line being operated by the Australian Railway Historical Society ACT Division. The ARHS also runs Queanbeyan station.

Some views of trams and trains operating in the Melbourne (Australia) CBD. Melbourne boasts one of the world's largest street tram networks as well as a suburban electrified railway network. Trams operate on standard gauge tracks (1435mm or 4'8 1/2") but the trains run on the 'Irish' broad gauge (1600mm or 5'3"). Broad gauge tracks can also be found in neighbouring South Australia but besides Ireland, the only other place in the world that claims this gauge is Brazil. Melbourne is the only city in Australia with a significant tram network, although small systems exist in Adelaide and Sydney, as well as a tourist-oriented system in the regional Victorian city of Bendigo. The railway viaduct that runs between Flinders and Spencer St stations (the latter now known as Southern Cross) features six tracks, four of which are bi-directional. The direction of operation changes at about midday.

Some early photos taken with a Nikon Coolpix digital camera.