2 April

The rai line over the mountains was electrified in the 1950s. Nearly 80 years ago, we understood that electric motors are not only much more efficient, but need much less maintenance and are also more powerful. We’ve wasted a century ignoring these basics. The only reason freight trains are still diesel now is because electrification stopped at Lithgow. The original reason the line was made electric was the transport of coal over the mountains, not passengers.