Coal trains clog Wollongong air

By Brett Cox
Updated November 5 2012 - 8:10pm, first published April 3 2009 - 10:05am
Pacific National diesel trains spew smoke approaching Wollongong Railway Station. Picture: WILL SIMPSON  Too much: Maria and Will Simpson say the coal trains have been emitting more smoke than usual. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR
Pacific National diesel trains spew smoke approaching Wollongong Railway Station. Picture: WILL SIMPSON Too much: Maria and Will Simpson say the coal trains have been emitting more smoke than usual. Picture: KIRK GILMOUR

Living by the railway line had never been a problem for Wollongong's Maria and Will Simpson, until the emissions from coal trains leaving Port Kembla became too much.The Gladstone Ave couple say that during the past eight months some coal trains have been emitting smoke at much higher levels than usual. The situation had certainly been worse than in past years, they said."We were out having a barbecue the other day and this diesel train came through," Mrs Simpson said. "It emitted so much smoke that it went across the ground, through the yard and across the road to the TAFE. It's not every coal train, but it's regular enough and at least several times a week." The earliest incident was recorded at 7.25am on a Thursday.Photographic evidence of the smoke taken recently on a Saturday afternoon was sent to Pacific National, which own the locomotives.Pacific National's southern operations manager Bob Jarvis said the locomotive would be reviewed for driver and engine performance."We have investigated the issue and I'm waiting on feedback from our technical people," he said."One of our observations so far is as the locomotives are passing ... the rear of the train is clearing a low speed section of track at Coniston and the crew are starting to accelerate up the grade to North Wollongong."This requires the driver to increase locomotive power, which in turn increases locomotive emissions."Mr Jarvis said he would contact the couple once investigations were complete.

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