Ettamogah “Past, Present and Future”

Originally the sidings used by Ettamogah Rail Hub (or Regional Connect as they are now called) were constructed to allow the paper mill to load its paper directly onto rail wagons for transporting around the country. When this traffic was moved to road the tracks lay idle for a period of time until Colin Rees decided to build his Rail Hub there. They commenced operations in July 2009.

Early in 2019 work commenced on building a passing loop. This loop will eliminate the need for Ettamogah trains to shunt using the mainline. At the time this article was written, the entry points have been fitted and earthworks are in progress.

Background

The Ettamogah Rail Hub opened in 2009 and I was lucky enough to be invited to attend a visit there with a group of local engineers. We were shown around the facility and then given a cab ride to the top of the yard and back. It was on this ride that I thought this would be a great site to model; new, modern and not too complex. So, with a blessing from Colin Rees, Ettamogah v1 was crudely built and then displayed for about four years.

Then, on our final