Target $4.61, page-2407

The fuel crisis of 1973-74 comes to mind.

While I was very young, reading history I recall items like the NSW Government Railways suddenly cancelling many branch line passenger services. They never resumed.

To matters of the day, a Maules Creek-bound empty coal train has just crossed (i.e. passed at a 'crossing loop' on the otherwise single track main line between Muswellbrook and Werris Creek) a loaded one bound for Kooragang Island at either Murrurundi or more likely, a little north of that wonderfully named town at the longer Pages River Loop.

The lost time is most annoying but not much AZJ or WHC could do about it.

Just north and south of Gunnedah, respectively there's a loaded coal train from WHC's Narrabri mine and an empty coalie bound for that important mine. There's another empty coal train between Boggabri and Narrabri, which like the others is operated by foreign-owned Pacific National. The latter train is about to cross a southbound grain train operated by Bendigo-based Southern Shorthaul Railroad. As usual, a busy railway.

There is one other WHC southbound coal train south of Aberdeen that may have originated at Gunnedah, but I can't see any between there and Kooragang Island. This doesn't mean there aren't any at the port, as sometimes they don't show up as drivers may not be logged in.

Keep 'em rolling, boys, as we need the money trains to be portside and bulk ships to sail with the black gold. (GLTAH).

Gives one a warm feeling that thanks to capital provided by holders, WHC keeps the lights on and industry moving in many nations in Asia spread from India across to Philippines and up to South Korea and Japan. So many people here, and internationally in dynamic, largely non-woke economies have food on the table thanks to our coal miners.