You asked, so just before 1300 AEDT on Sunday 18 December 2022,...

You asked, so just before 1300 AEDT on Sunday 18 December 2022, starting from northwest NSW and working our way towards the post of Newcastle NSW:

There was an empty Pacific National coal train bound for WHC Narrabri between Baan Baa and Turrawan (north of Gunnedah).

Another empty northbound train was near Gunnedah bound for WHC's Maules Creek mine. A loaded train from the latter was further south, at Breeza. (Yes, these are fair dinkum place names).

A loaded coal train operated by Aurizon from WHC Narrabri had just departed Werris Creek, an important junction station.

At Braefield, a few kilometres further south, another loaded train (Pacific National-operated this time) from Narrabri was in the crossing loop being passed by a northbound container train of no relevance to Whitehaven.

There was another loaded coal train bound for the export terminal negotiating the infamous Ardglen Bank.

An empty coal train for Maules Creek was not much further south, nearly at Murrurundi. (Try saying that town's name).

Again not much distance further south, a loaded coal train from Narrabri was passing through the tiny hamlet of Wingen.

A loaded coalie from WHC's smaller Werris Creek mine was passing through the major army town of Singleton.

There was one other train that I suspect was for WHC but its destination wasn't displaying so I've excluded it.

That makes a total of five loaded and three empties, excluding the unattributed one.

Closer to maitland and the port, I couldn't see any more 'live' coal trains for WHC but sometimes if unloading they may not display on the information available to me.

So we can see that this 24/7 operation is humming along. What I can't do is inform us how that compares to a year ago, but at least the trains are not stopped due to heavy rain, a derailment, loco failure or some other cause.

Every loaded train is a profit centre for WHC!